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THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 



FOUNDED 
FEBRUARY TENTH, NINETEEN HUNDRED 
AND FOURTEEN, BY ALFRED G. ARVOLD 



^§^1 

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 

NEW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS 
ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN & CO., Limited 

LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE MACMILLAN CO. OP CANADA, Ltd. 

TORONTO 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 



BY 

ALFRED G. ARVOLD 

NORTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
Fargo, North Dakota 



THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
1922 

All rights reserved 



PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 






Copyright, 1922 
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 



Set up and electrotyped. Published November, 1922 



DEC -1*22 

©C1A690452 

4*tf J 



TO MY MOTHER 

WHOSE VISION CAUSED ME 

TO SEE BIG THINGS 



"The theater is a crucible of civilization. It 
is a place of human communion. it is in the 
theater that the public soul is formed." 

Victor Hugo. 



CONTENTS 

Chapter Page 

I. The Raindrops I 

II. Country Folks 17 

III. The Land of the Dacotahs 33 

IV. The Little Country Theater 41 

V. The Heart of a Prairie 59 

VI. Characteristic Incidents 67 

VII. A Bee in a Drone's Hive 95 

VIII. Larimore 153 

IX. Forty Towns 167 

X. Cold Spring Hollow 179 

Appendices 187 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Scene — ''The Raindrops" Frontispiece 

Facing Page 

"Perhaps we will meet again like the raindrops" 4 

Social Stagnancy is a Characteristic Trait of the Small 

Town and the Country 22 

An Old Dingy, Dull-Grey Chapel on the Second Floor of 

the Administration Building was remodeled into what 

is now known as The Little Country Theater 45 

It Has a Seating Capacity of Two Hundred 53 

The Package Library System 55 

A Farm Home Scene in Iceland Thirty Years Ago.... 70 

Scene — "Leonarda" 72 

Scene — "The Servant in the House" 78 

Scene — "Back to the Farm" 82 

The Pastimes of the Ages 84 

Scene— "Sitting Bull-Custer" 88 

Scene — "American Beauties," A One Act Play 92 

Scene — "A Bee in a Drone's Hive" 100 

Folk Dances, Parades, and Pageants have become an 

Integral Part of the Social Life of the State 172 

Of the Fifty-three Counties in the State Thirty-five have 

County Play Days 174 

The Greek Theater, University of California, Berkeley, 

California 222 

"The Crescent," One of America's Largest Open Air 

Theaters, El Zagal Park, Fargo, North Dakota 223 

The Stadium, Harvard University 224 

The Interior of the Stadium. 225 

Rural Community Center, Rusk Farm 228 

Community House, Leeland, Texas 229 

Village Hall, Wyoming, New York 230 

Community Building and Floor Plan 231 

Auditorium, Hendrum, Minnesota 232 

Stage Designs 235 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 



THE RAINDROPS 

ONE day, about three weeks before the 
Christmas holidays, two young men 
came to see me. I shall never forget 
the incident because to me it marked one of 
the most fascinating episodes in the social life 
of country people. One of the young men was 
tall with broad shoulders and had light hair 
and grey eyes. The other was of medium 
height and had dark hair. His home was in 
Iceland. That they both had something im- 
portant to say was evident from the expression 
on their faces. After a few moment's hesita- 
tion, they told me they had thought out an idea 
for a play. Both of them were brimful of 
enthusiasm in regard to it. Whether or not 
they could produce it was a question. An 
obstacle stood in the way. Most of the scenes 
[3] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

were laid in Iceland. And what playhouse or 
village hall, especially a country theater, ever 
owned any scenery depicting home life, snow- 
capped mountains, and landscapes in that far- 
away region? Above all, there was no money 
to buy any, either. 

When told that they would have to paint 
the scenery themselves, they looked somewhat 
surprised. It is doubtful whether either of 
them had ever painted anything more than his 
mother's kitchen floor or perhaps whitewashed 
a fence or the interior of a barn. They finally 
decided to do the job. A painter was called 
over the phone who said he wouldn't charge 
the boys a cent for the colors if they painted 
the scene. Up in an attic of a building near by 
there was an old faded pink curtain that had 
been cast aside. It was thought to be no 
longer useful. Within twenty-four hours the 
curtain was brought over and hoisted, and the 
floor of the stage adjacent to the office was 
covered with paint pails, brushes, and water 
colors. With dogged determination they de- 
cided to finish the painting during the holiday 
vacation. A few minutes before midnight on 
[4] 




''Perhaps we will meet again like the raindrops, 



THE RAINDROPS 

New Year's Eve the last stroke of the brush 
was made. The quaint cottage, the snow 
white-capped mountain, the tumbling waterfall 
and the steep ascending cliffs were painted in a 
manner which brought many favorable com- 
ments from competent art critics. The blend- 
ing of the colors was magnificent. It was 
genuine art. The beauty of it all was that 
these two young men found that they could 
express themselves even on canvas. 

Just as they had painted their scenery on 
the stage of the theater, so did they write their 
play, acting out each line before they put it in 
final form for presentation. Often they worked 
all night until four o'clock in the morning. 
They called their play "The Raindrops." The 
theme is told in the second act of the play. 
'Mie scene represents the interior of an Ice- 
landic home. It is evening. The family circle 
has gathered. Some are sewing and others 
knitting. The children want to hear a story. 
Sveinn, one of the characters in the play, finally 
says to them, "All right then, if you are quiet, 
I will tell you the story of the raindrops who 
met in the sky." And he narrates the follow- 
[5] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

ing which the children listen to with rapt 
attention. 

"Once there were two raindrops away-way 
high up in the clouds. The sun had just lately 
smiled at them as they were playing in the big 
ocean, and his smile had drawn them up into 
the sky. Now as they danced and sported 
about in its radiance he decked them in all the 
bright and beautiful colors of the rainbow; 
and they were so happy over being rid of the 
dirt and salt that they almost forgot them- 
selves for joy. 

But somehow there seemed to be something 
that reminded them of the past. They felt as 
if they had met before. Finally one said, "Say, 
friend, haven't we met before?" "That is just 
what I've been thinking," said friend. "Where 
have you been, comrade?" 

"I've been on the broad prairies on the west 
side of the big mountain that you see down 
there," answered comrade. 

"Oh," said friend, "and I've been on the 

green slope on the east side of the mountain. 

I had a friend who fell at the same time as I 

did, and we were going to keep together, but 

[6] 



THE RAINDROPS 

unfortunately he fell on the other side of the 
ridge." 

"That was too bad," said comrade, "the 
same thing happened to me but my friend fell 
on the east side just close to that stone you 
see down there." 

"Why, that is just where I fell," said friend. 
This was enough — they could scarcely contain 
themselves with joy over meeting and recog- 
nizing one another again. 

After they had danced one another around 
for a while, shaken hands a dozen times or 
more, and slapped one another on the back 
till they were all out of breath, friend said, 
"Now, comrade, tell me all about everything 
that has happened to you." 

"And you'll have to tell me everything that 
you have seen," said comrade. 

"Yes, I'll do that," said friend, and then 
comrade began: 

"Well, I fell on the west side of that stone, 
as you know. At first I felt kind of bad, but I 
gradually got over it and began to move in the 
same direction as the others I saw around me. 
At first I could not move fast, for I was so 
[7] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

small that every little pebble blocked my road, 
but then the raindrops held a meeting and 
agreed to work together to help one another 
along and I joined the company to help form 
a pretty little brook. In this way we were able 
to push big stones out of our road and we were 
so happy that we laughed and played and 
danced in the sunlight which shone to the bot- 
tom of the brook, for we were not too many 
and we were all clean. 

"Gradually more and more joined us till we 
became a big river. Nothing could any longer 
stand in our road and we became so proud of 
our strength that we tore up the earth and dug 
out a deep, deep path that everyone might see. 

"But then our troubles began. We became 
so awfully dirty that the sun no longer reached 
any but those on top, while others were forced 
to stay in the dark. They groaned under the 
weight of those up higher, while at the same 
time they tore up from the bottom more and 
more filth. 

"I wanted to get out of it all, but there 
didn't seem to be any way. I tried to get up 
on the big, broad banks where all sorts of crops 

[8] 



THE RAINDROPS 

were growing, but I was met and carried back 
by others rushing on into the river, evidently 
without realizing where they were going. The 
current tossed me about, first in the sunshine 
and then in the depths of darkness, and I had 
no rest till at last I got into the great ocean. 
There I rested and washed off most of the 
dirt." 

"I wish I could have seen the river," said 
friend, "but why didn't you spread out more, 
so as to help the crops on the plains and so that 
all might have sunlight?" 

"I don't know," said comrade, "First we 
wanted to leave a deep path for others to see, 
and then later it seemed that we were helpless 
in the current that we ourselves had started. 
You must now tell me your story." 

"Yes," said friend. "I fell on the east side 
of that stone, and when I couldn't find you I 
started east, because I saw the sun there. After 
a while I bumped into a great big stone which 
was right across my path. It was such an ugly 
thing that I got angry and said, 'Get out of my 
way, you ugly thing, or I'll get all the other 
raindrops together and roll you out of the 
road.' r 9 i 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

"Oh, no, do not do that," said the stone, 
"for I am sheltering a beautiful flower from 
the wind, but I'll lift myself up a little so you 
can crawl under." 

"It was awfully dark and nasty and creepy 
under the stone, and I didn't like it a bit, but 
when I came out into the sunshine and saw the 
beautiful flowers on the other side I was glad 
that I hadn't spoiled their shelter." 

" 'Isn't this lovely?' said a raindrop near me, 
'let us go and look at all the flowers.' Then a 
crowd of raindrops that had gathered said, 
'Let us spread out more and more and give 
them all a drink,' and we went among the 
flowers on the slope and in the valleys. As we 
watered them they smiled back at us till their 
smiles almost seemed brighter than the sun- 
light. When evening came we went down the 
little brooks over the waterfalls and hopped 
and danced in the eddy while we told one 
another about the things we had seen. There 
were raindrops from the glaciers and from the 
hot springs, from the lava fields and from the 
green grassy slopes, and from the lofty 
mountain peaks, where all the land could be 
[10] 



THE RAINDROPS 

seen. Then we went on together singing over 
the level plains and into the ocean. 

For awhile neither one said anything. Then 
comrade spoke, u Yes, when I go back I'll get 
the others to go with me and we'll spread out 
more — and now I am going back. See the 
grain down there, how dry it is. Now I'm 
going to get the other raindrops to spread out 
over the plains and give all the plants a drink 
and in that way help everyone else." 

"But see the flowers there on the slope on 
the east side," said friend. "They'll fade if I 
don't go down again to help them." 

"We'll meet again," said both, as they 
dashed off to help the flowers and the grain. 

The story ends. A pause ensues and Herdis, 
the old, old lady in the play says, "Yes, we are 
all raindrops." 

It is a beautiful thought and exceptionally 
well worked out in the play. The raindrops 
are brothers. One's name is Sveinn. He lives 
in Iceland. The other is Snorri. His home is 
America. Snorri crosses the ocean to tell 
Sveinn about America. Upon his arrival he 
meets a girl named Asta and falls in love with 

[11] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

her, little thinking that she is the betrothed of 
his brother Sveinn. Asta is a beautiful girl. 
She has large blue eyes and light hair which 
she wears in a long braid over her left 
shoulder. In act three, when speaking to Asta, 
Snorri says, "Sometimes I think I am the rain- 
drop that fell on the other side of the ridge, 
and that my place may be there; but then I 
think of the many things I have learned to 
love here — the beautiful scenery, the midnight 
sun, the simple and unaffected manners of the 
people, their hospitality, and probably more 
than anything else some of the people I have 
come to know. A few of these especially I 
have learned to love." 

It does not dawn upon Snorri that Asta has 
given her hand to his brother Sveinn until the 
fourth and last act of the play. The scene is a 
most impressive one. It was something the 
authors had painted themselves. At the right 
stands the quaint little sky-blue cottage, with 
its long corrugated tin roof. To the left, the 
stony cliffs rise. In the distance the winding 
road, the tumbling waterfall, and snow-capped 
mountain can be seen. Near the doorway of 
[12] 



THE RAINDROPS 

the cottage there is a large rock on which Asta 
often sits in the full red glow of the midnight 
sun. 

As the curtain goes up Snorri enters, looks 
at his watch, and utters these words, "They 
are all asleep, but I must see her to-night." He 
gently goes to the door, quietly raps, turns and 
looks at the scenery, and says: "How beautiful 
are these northern lights! I've seen them be- 
fore stretching like a shimmering curtain across 
the northern horizon, with tongues of flame 
occasionally leaping across the heavens; but 
here they are above me, and all around me, till 
they light up the scene so that I can see even in 
the distance the rugged and snow-capped hills 
miles away. How truly the Icelandic nation 
resembles the country — like the old volcanoes 
which, while covered with a sheet of ice and 
snow, still have burning underneath, the eternal 
fires." 

Asta then appears in the doorway and ex- 
claims, "Snorri." After an exchange of greet- 
ings they sit down and talk. Snorri tells Asta 
of his love and finally asks her to become his 
wife. Asta is silent. She turns and looks at 

r 13 1 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

the northern lights, then bows her head and 
with her hands carelessly thrown over her 
knees she tells him that it cannot be — that it is 
Sveinn. 

Snorri arises, moves away, covers his face 
with his hands and exclaims, "Oh, God! I 
never thought of that. What a blind fool I 
have been!" As Asta starts to comfort him 
Sveinn appears in the doorway, sees them and 
starts to turn away, but in so doing makes a 
little noise. Snorri startled, quickly looks 
around and says, "Sveinn, come here. I have 
been blind; will you forgive me?" Then he 
takes Asta's hand and places it in Sveinn's, bids 
them good-by and starts to leave. 

Sveinn says, "Snorri! Where are you going? 
You are not leaving us at this time of night, 
and in sorrow?" 

"Snorri, returning, looks at the quaint little 
cottage, the waterfall, and then at Asta and 
Sveinn, pauses a moment, and says, "Perhaps 
we shall meet again — like the raindrops." The 
curtain falls and the play ends. 

Neither of these young men who wrote the 
play ever had any ambition to become a play- 
[14] 



THE RAINDROPS 

wright, a scene painter, or an actor. To-day, 
one is a successful country-life worker in the 
great northwest. The other is interested in 
harnessing the water power which is so 
abundant in his native land. 

When the play was presented, the audience 
sat spellbound, evidently realizing that two 
country lads had found hidden life forces in 
themselves which they never knew they pos- 
sessed. All they needed, like thousands of 
others who live in the country and even in the 
city, was just a chance to express themselves. 

Authors of play — M. Thorfinnson and E. Briem. 



[IS] 



COUNTRY FOLKS 



COUNTRY FOLKS 

THERE are literally millions of people in 
country communities to-day whose abili- 
ties along various lines have been hid- 
den, simply because they have never had an 
opportunity to give expression to their talents. 
In many respects this lack of self-expression 
has been due to the social conditions existing 
in the country, the narrow-minded attitude of 
society toward those who till the soil, and the 
absence of those forces which seek to arouse 
the creative instincts and stimulate that imagi- 
nation and initiative in country people which 
mean leadership. 

Social stagnancy is a characteristic trait of 
the small town and the country. Community 
spirit is often at a low ebb. Because of the 
stupid monotony of the village and country 
existence, the tendency of the people young and 
[19] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

old is to move to larger centers of population. 
Young people leave the small town and the 
country because of its deadly dullness. They 
want Life. The emptiness of rural environ- 
ment does not appeal to them. The attitude 
of mind of the country youth is best expressed 
by Gray in his "Elegy Written in a Country 
Church-yard" which runs as follows: 

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene 

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear; 
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 
And waste its sweetness on the desert air." 

Many young people find the town and coun- 
try dead simply because they crave fellowship 
and social enjoyment. When an afternoon 
local train passes through a certain section of 
any state, people gather at every station, some 
to meet their friends, others to bid their 
friends farewell, and dozens to see some form 
of life. With many it is the only excitement 
that enters their lives, except on extraordinary 
occasions. After the harvest many a country 
lad goes to the city to enjoy a feast of enter- 
tainment, in order to satisfy his social hunger. 

A few years ago the national Department of 
[20] 



COUNTRY FOLKS 

Agriculture sent out hundreds of letters to 
country women, asking them what would make 
life in the country districts more attractive. 
Hundreds of the replies which were received 
from practically every section of America told 
the story of social starvation and the needs of 
country communities. One woman from Kansas 
in her reply wrote : 

"We hope you can help us to consolidate 
schools and plan them under a commission of 
experts in school efficiency and community edu- 
cation. Through this commission we could 
arrange clubs, social unions, and social, instruc- 
tive, and educational entertainments. We 
ought not to be compelled to go to town for 
doubtful amusements, but, rousing the civic 
pride of the community, have the best at 
home." 

Another one from Wyoming in her letter 
stated that she thought the country child had 
the same right to culture and refinement as the 
city child. A woman whose home was in 
Massachusetts gave the following suggestions 
in her reply: 

"On the side of overcoming the emptiness 
of rural life; articles suggesting courses of 
reading both along the line of better farming 
[21] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

and of subjects of public interest. Perhaps the 
wider use of the rural school or church for 
social centers, or for discussion by farmers, 
their wives, sons and daughters might be sug- 
gested." 

A letter written from Florida contained the 
following : 

"First, a community center where good lec- 
tures, good music, readings, and demonstra- 
tions might be enjoyed by all, a public library 
station. We feel if circulating libraries con- 
taining books that can be suggested on purity, 
hygiene, social service, and scientific instruc- 
tion, that our women in the rural districts need 
to read for the protection of their children; 
also books on farming and poultry raising, 
botany, culture of flowers, and many other 
themes that will help them to discover the spe- 
cial charm and advantage of living in the pure 
air and being familiar with the beauties of 
nature and thereby make our people desire to 
stay on the farms." 

A letter from Tennessee said: "Education 
is the first thing needed; education of every 
kind. Not simply agricultural education, al- 
though that has its place; not merely the pri- 
mary training offered by the public schools in 
arithmetic, reading, grammar, etc. I mean the 
education that unfastens doors and opens up 
vistas; the education that includes travel, col- 
lege, acquaintance with people of culture; the 
[22] 



COUNTRY FOLKS 

education that makes one forget the drudgery 
of to-day in the hope of to-morrow. Sarah 
Barnwell Elliott makes a character in one of 
her stories say that the difference between 
himself (a mountaineer) and the people of the 
university town is 'vittles and seein' fur.' The 
language of culture would probably translate 
that into 'environment and vision.' It is the 
'seein' fur' that farm women need most, al- 
though lots of good might be done by working 
some on the 'vittles.' Fried pork and sirup and 
hot biscuit and coffee have had a lot to do with 
the 'vision' of many a farmer and farmer's 
wife. A good digestion has much to do with 
our outlook on life. Education is such an end 
in itself, if it were never of practical use. But 
one needs it all on the farm and a thousand 
times more. 'Knowledge is power,' as I 
learned years ago from my copy book. But 
even if it were not, it is a solace for pain and a 
panacea for loneliness. You may teach us farm 
women to kill flies, stop eating pork, and ven- 
tilate our homes; but if you will put in us the 
thirst for knowledge you will not need to do 
these things. We will do them ourselves." 

A note from North Carolina read something 
like this: 

"The country woman needs education, 
recreation, and a better social life. If broad- 
minded, sensible women could be appointed to 
make monthly lectures at every public school- 

r 23 1 



THE LITTLE .C O U NTRY THEATER 

house throughout the country, telling them how 
and what to do, getting them together, and 
interesting them in good literature and showing 
them their advantages, giving good advice, 
something like a 'woman's department' in 
magazines, this would fill a great need in the 
life of country women. Increase our social life 
and you increase our pleasures, and an increase 
of pleasure means an increase of good work." 

All these answers and many more show 
something of the social conditions in the coun- 
try so far as women are concerned. In other 
words, older people desert the country because 
they want better living conditions and more 
social and educational advantages for them- 
selves and their children. Moral degeneracy 
in the country, like the city, is usually due to 
lack of proper social recreation. When people 
have something healthful with which to occupy 
their minds, they scarcely ever think of wrong- 
doing. A noted student of social problems 
recently said that the barrenness of country life 
for the girl growing into womanhood, hungry 
for amusement, is one reason why so many 
girls in the country go to the city. Students of 
science attribute the cause of many of the cases 
of insanity among country people to loneliness 
[24] 



COUNTRY FOLKS 

and monotony. That something fundamental 
must be done along social lines in the country 
communities in order to help people find them- 
selves, nobody will dispute. Already mechan- 
ical devices, transportation facilities, and 
methods of communication have done much to 
eliminate the drudgery, to do away with isola- 
tion, and to make country life more attractive. 
An influence which has done a good deal to 
stifle expression in country people has been the 
narrow-minded attitude certain elements in 
society have taken toward those who till the 
soil. When these elements have wanted to be- 
little their city friends' intelligence or social 
standing, they have usually dubbed them "old 
farmers." Briefly stated, the quickest way to 
insult a man's thinking power or social position 
has been to give him the title "farmer." The 
world has not entirely gotten over the "Hey- 
Rube" idea about those who produce civiliza- 
tion's food supply. A certain stigma is still 
attached to the vocation. As a group, country 
people have in many places been socially 
ostracized for centuries. A social barrier still 
exists between the city-bred girl and the 
[25] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

country-bred boy. As a result, all these things 
have had a tendency to destroy the country 
man's pride in his profession. This has weak- 
ened his morale and his one ambition has been 
to get out of something in which he cannot be 
on an equal with other people, and consequently 
he has retired. Goldsmith in "The Deserted 
Village" hit the nail on the head when he said: 

"111 fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, 
Where wealth accumulates, and men decay: 
Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade; 
A breath can make them, as a breath has made ; 
But a bold peasantry, their country's pride, 
When once destroyed, can never be supplied." 

To be an honest tiller of the soil, to be 
actively engaged in feeding humanity, should 
be one of the noblest callings known to man- 
kind and carry with it a social prestige. The 
Chinese Emperor used to plow a furrow of 
land once a year to stamp his approval upon 
agriculture. The reason Washington, Lin- 
coln, Justin Morrill, and Roosevelt became so 
keenly interested in country life was that they 
saw the significance of it and its importance to 
the world. George Washington was a farmer, 
a country gentleman. Mount Vernon is a 
[26] 



COUNTRY FOLKS 

country estate, a large farm. The father of 
our country believed that a great country peo- 
ple was the basic foundation of a great 
America. Thomas Jefferson once said, "The 
chosen people are those who till the soil." 
When you ridicule any people, they are not 
likely to express their talents and the finer in- 
stincts which lie hidden in them. A weak rural 
morale eventually means rural decay. The 
heart of rural America will never beat true 
until society looks upon agriculture as a life, 
as something to get into and not steer away 
from or get out of its environment. 

Another factor which has retarded the ex- 
pression of the hidden abilities of those who 
live in the small towns and country communi- 
ties has been the absence of any force which 
seeks to arouse the creative instincts and to 
stimulate the imagination and initiative. Even 
to-day, those agencies in charge of country-life 
problems, as well as city life, direct very little 
of their energies into channels which give color 
and romance and a social spirit to these folks. 
The most interesting part of any country com- 
munity or neighborhood is the people who live 
[27] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

in it. Unless they are satisfied with their 
condition, it is little use to talk better farming. 
A retired farmer is usually one who is dissatis- 
fied with country life. A social vision must be 
discovered in the country, that will not only 
keep great men who are country born in the 
country, but also attract others who live in the 
cities. 

The impulse to build up a community spirit 
in a rural neighborhood may come from with- 
out, but the true genuine work of making coun- 
try life more attractive must come from within. 
The country people themselves must work out 
their own civilization. A country town or dis- 
trict must have an individuality or mind of its 
own. The mind of a community is the mind of 
the people who live in it. If they are big and 
broad and generous, so is the community. 
Folks are folks, whether they live in the city or 
country. In most respects their problems are 
identical. 

It is a natural condition for people to crave 

self-expression. In years gone by men who 

have been born and reared on the farm have 

left it and gone to the city, in order to find a 

[28] 



COUNTRY FOLKS 

place for the expression of their talents. This 
migration has done more to hinder than to set 
forward the cause of civilization. People who 
live in the country must find their true expres- 
sion in their respective neighborhoods, just as 
much as do people who live in the city. You 
cannot continually take everything out of the 
country and cease to put anything back into it. 
The city has always meant expression — the 
country, repression. Talent usually goes to the 
congested centers of population to express 
itself. For generations when a young man or 
woman has had superior ability along some 
particular line and lived in the country, their 
friends have always advised them to move to a 
large center of population where their talents 
would find a ready expression. You and I, for 
instance, who have encouraged them to go 
hither, have never thought that we were sacri- 
ficing the country to build the city. This has 
been a mistake. We all know it. 

Over fifty years ago a country doctor be- 
came the father of two boys. In age they were 
five years apart. The doctor brought them up 
well and sent them away to a medical school. 
[29] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Unlike most country-bred boys who go to large 
cities, when they finished their courses they 
went back to the old home town and began 
their practice. By using their creative in- 
stincts, organizing power, imagination, and 
initiative, it was not long before they became 
nationally known. People call their establish- 
ment "the clinic in the cornfields. " To-day 
these "country doctors" treat over fifty thou- 
sand patients. Their names are known wher- 
ever medical science is known. Railroads run 
special sleepers hundreds of miles to their old 
home town in Olmstead County, Minnesota, 
which, by the way, is one of the richest agricul- 
tural counties in America. The great big thing 
about these two men is that they found an 
opportunity for the expression of their talents 
in a typical country community. They didn't 
go to a large city, they made thousands of city 
people come to them. 

Conservatively speaking, there are over ten 
thousand small towns in America to-day. More 
than ten million people live in them. These 
communities are often meeting places for the 
millions whose homes are in the open country. 
[30] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Rural folks still think of a community as that 
territory with its people which lies within the 
team haul of a given center. It is out in these 
places where the silent common people dwell. 
It is in these neighborhood laboratories that a 
new vision of country life is being developed. 
They are the cradles of democracy. It is here 
that a force is necessary to democratize art so 
the common people can appreciate it, science 
so they can use it, government so they can take 
a part in it, and recreation so they can enjoy it. 
The former Secretary of Agriculture aptly 
expressed the importance of the problem when 
he said: 

"The real concern in America over the 
movement of rural population to urban centers 
is whether those who remain in agriculture 
after the normal contribution to the city are 
the strong, intelligent, well seasoned families, 
in which the best traditions of agriculture and 
citizenship have been lodged from generation 
to generation. The present universal cry of 
'keep the boy on the farm' should be expanded 
into a public sentiment for making country life 
more attractive in every way. When farming 
is made profitable and when the better things 
of life are brought in increasing measure to the 
rural community, the great motives which lead 
[31] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

youth and middle age to leave the country 
districts will be removed. In order to assure a 
continuance of the best strains of farm people 
in agriculture, there can be no relaxation of the 
present movements for a better country life, 
economic, social, and educational," 



[32] 



THE LAND OF THE DACOTAHS 



THE LAND OF THE DACOTAHS 

A SKILLED physician when he visits a 
sick room always diagnoses the case of 
the patient before he administers a 
remedy. In order to comprehend thoroughly 
the tremendous significance the Land of the 
Dacotahs bears in its relation to the solution 
of the problem of country life in America, one 
must know something about the commonwealth 
and its people. 

North Dakota is a prairie state. Its land 
area comprises seventy-one thousand square 
miles of a rich black soil equal in its fertility to 
the deposits at the delta of the River Nile in 
Egypt. There are over forty million acres of 
tillable land. The state has one of the largest 
undeveloped lignite coal areas in the world. 

Its climate is invigorating. The air is dry 
and wholesome. The summer months are de- 

[35] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

lightful. The fields of golden grain are invit- 
ing. The winters, on the other hand, are long 
and dreary, and naturally lonely. People are 
prone to judge the climate of the state by its 
blizzards. Those who do, forget this fact — a 
vigorous climate always develops a healthy and 
vigorous people. No geographical barriers 
break the monotony of the lonesome prairie 
existence. A deadly dullness hovers over each 
community. 

The population of the state is distinctly 
rural. Over seventy per cent of the people 
live in un-incorporated territory. Seven out of 
every eight persons are classed as rural. The 
vocation of the masses is agriculture. Every- 
body, everywhere, every day in the state talks 
agriculture. At the present time there are 
about two hundred towns with less than five 
hundred inhabitants. 

One of the most interesting characteristics 
of this prairie commonwealth is its population. 
They are a sturdy people, strong in heart and 
broad in mental vision. The romance of the 
Indian and the cowboy, the fur-trader and the 
trapper, has been the theme of many an inter- 
[36] 



THE LAND OF THE DACOTAHS 

esting tale. The first white settler, who took 
a knife and on bended knee cut squares of sod 
and built a shanty and faced long hard winters 
on this northern prairie, is a character the 
whole world loves and honors. Several years 
ago an old schoolmaster, whose home is not so 
very far from Minnehaha Falls, delivered a 
"Message to the Northwest" which typifies the 
spirit of these people. He said in part: 

"I am an old man now, and have seen many 
things in the world. I have seen this great 
country that we speak of as the Northwest, 
come, in my lifetime, to be populous and rich. 
The forest has fallen before the pioneer, the 
field has blossomed, and the cities have risen 
to greatness. If there is anything that an old 
man eighty years of age could say to a people 
among whom he has spent the happiest days of 
his life, it is this : We live in the most blessed 
country in the world. The things we have 
accomplished are only the beginning. As the 
years go on, and always we increase our 
strength, our power, and our wealth, we must 
not depart from the simple teachings of our 
youth. For the moral fundamentals are the 
same and unchangeable. Here in the North- 
west we shall make a race of men that shall 
inherit the earth. Here in the distant years, 
when I and others who have labored with me 
[37] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

shall long have been forgotten, there will be a 
power in material accomplishment, in spiritual 
attainment, in wealth, strength, and moral in- 
fluence, the like of which the world has not yet 
seen. This I firmly believe. And the people 
of the Northwest, moving ever forward to 
greater things, will accomplish all this as they 
adhere always to the moral fundamentals, and 
not otherwise." 

The twenty-odd nationalities who live in the 
Dacotahs came from lands where folklore was 
a part of their everyday life. Many a Norse- 
man — and there are nearly two hundred thou- 
sand people of Scandinavian origin, Norwe- 
gians, Danes, Swedes, and Icelanders, in the 
state — knows the story of Ole Bull, the famous 
violinist, who when a lad used to take his in- 
strument, go out in the country near the water- 
falls, listen attentively to the water as it 
rushed over the abyss, then take his violin, 
place it under his chin, and draw the bow across 
the strings, to see whether he could imitate the 
mysterious sounds. Most of these Norse peo- 
ple live in the northern and eastern section of 
the state. The hundred thousand citizens 
whose ancestors came from the British Isles — - 
the English, the Welsh, the Scotch, the Irish, 
[38] 



THE LAND OF THE DACOTAHS 

and the Canadians — know something of Shake- 
speare and Synge and Bobbie Burns. Ten 
years ago there were sixty thousand people of 
Russian descent and forty-five thousand of 
Teutonic origin in the state. They were ac- 
quainted with Tolstoy and Wagner. Greeks, 
Italians, and Turks, besides many other nation- 
alities, live in scattered sections of the state. In 
fact, seventy-two per cent of the citizens of the 
state are either foreign born or of foreign 
descent. All these people came originally from 
countries whose civilizations are much older 
than our own. All have inherited a poetry, a 
drama, an art, a life in their previous national 
existence, which, if brought to light through 
the medium of some great American ideal and 
force, would give to the state and the country 
a rural civilization such as has never been heard 
of in the history of the world. All these peo- 
ple are firm believers in American ideals. 

One excellent feature in connection with the 
life of the people who live in Hiawatha's Land 
of the Dacotahs is their attitude toward educa- 
tion. They believe that knowledge is power. 
Out on these prairies they have erected school- 
[39] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

houses for the training of their youth. To-day 
there are nearly live hundred consolidated 
schools in the state. One hundred and fifty of 
these are in the open country, dozens of which 
are many miles from any railroad. Twenty- 
three per cent of the state area is served by 
this class of schools. Much of the social life 
of a community is centered around the school, 
the church, the village or town hall, and the 
home. The greater the number of activities 
these institutions indulge in for the social and 
civic betterment of the whole community, the 
more quickly the people find themselves and 
become contented with their surroundings. 

In most respects, however, North Dakota is 
not unlike other states. People there are 
actually hungry for social recreation. The 
prairies are lonely in the winter. Thousands 
of young men and women whose homes are in 
rural communities, when asked what they 
wanted out in the country most, have re- 
sponded, "More Life." The heart hunger of 
folks for other folks is just the same there as 
everywhere. 

[40] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

WITH a knowledge of these basic facts 
in mind, as well as a personal ac- 
quaintance with hundreds of young 
men and women whose homes are in small com- 
munities and country districts, the idea of The 
Little Country Theater was conceived by the 
author. A careful study of hundreds and 
literally thousands of requests received from 
every section of the state, as well as of America 
and from many foreign countries, for suitable 
material for presentation on public programs 
and at public functions, showed the necessity of 
a country life laboratory to test out various 
kinds of programs. 

The idea conceived became an actual reality 

when an old, dingy, dull-grey chapel on the 

second floor of the administration building at 

the North Dakota Agricultural College, 

[43] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

located at Fargo, North Dakota, was remod- 
eled into what is now known as "The Little 
Country Theater." It was opened the tenth 
day of February in the year nineteen hundred 
and fourteen. In appearance it is most fasci- 
nating. It is simply a large playhouse put 
under a reducing glass. It is just the size of 
an average country town hall. It has a seating 
capacity of two hundred. The stage is thirty 
feet in width, twenty feet in depth, having a 
proscenium opening of ten feet in height and 
fifteen feet in width. There are no boxes and 
balconies. The decorations are plain and 
simple. 

The color scheme is green and gold, the gold 
predominating. Three beams finished in golden 
oak cross the mansard ceiling, the beams pro- 
jecting down several feet on each side wall, 
from which frosted light bowls and globes are 
suspended by brass log chains, the indirect 
lighting giving a soft and subdued tone to the 
whole theater. The eight large windows are 
hung with tasteful green draperies. The cur- 
tain is a tree-shade green velour. The birch- 
stained seats are broad and not crowded to- 
[44] 




An Old Dingy, Dull-Grey Chapel on the Second Floor of the 

Administration Building was Remodeled Into What Is Now Known 

as The Little Country Theater 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

gether. There is a place for a stereopticon 
and a moving picture machine. The scenery 
is simple and plain. Whenever possible, green 
curtains are used. Simplicity is the keynote of 
the theater. It is an example of what can be 
done with hundreds of village halls, unused 
portions of school houses, vacant country 
stores and basements of country churches in 
communities. 

There are three unique features in connection 
with The Little Country Theater which de- 
serve special mention — the tower, the attic or 
"hayloft," and the package library system. 

The tower is just to the right of the lower 
end of the stage. It, too, is plain and simple. 
It is used as a study and contains materials 
gathered from all over the world on the social 
side of country life. 

The attic is to the left of the stage and up 
a flight of stairs. It was formerly an old gar- 
ret. For over twenty years it was unused. It 
is the workshop of the theater and contains 
committee rooms, dressing rooms, a property 
room, a costume wardrobe, a small kitchen, and 
a dining room which will comfortably seat 
[45] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

seventy-five persons. In many respects it cor- 
responds to the basement of a community 
building, a church, or an addition tacked on to 
a village hall. It is often used for an exhibit 
hall or a scenic studio. In short, The Little 
Country Theater is a typical rural community 
center, a country-life laboratory. One sig- 
nificant feature about this experimental labora- 
tory is that the birch-stained seats, the green 
curtains, the scenic effects, the stage properties, 
the five hundred costumes, the furniture, the 
dishes, and all the other necessities have been 
bought with funds taken in from entertain- 
ments and plays, thereby demonstrating that 
any community can do the same. Endowments 
in the country are always difficult to raise. 

Twelve years ago a country school-teacher 
sent in a request for some program material. 
Three personal copies of plays were sent to her, 
one of which she staged. It was not very long 
before others heard where she secured her 
data and many inquiries followed. Out of this 
request, together with an acquaintance with an 
old, white-haired man who had just started a 
similar system at a leading western university, 
[46] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

the package library idea came into existence. 
It is a sort of an intellectual rural free deliv- 
ery. One might call it the backbone of The 
Little Country Theater. In order to under- 
stand thoroughly the importance of the service 
which the system renders it will be necessary 
to say something about the aim of the work, 
its scope, how the data is gathered, and the 
practical results already obtained. 

The aim of the package library system is to 
vitalize all the sources of information which 
can be used for material for presentation on 
public programs. Its chief object is to make 
the schools, the churches, the homes, and the 
village or town halls, centers of community 
activity where men and women and their chil- 
dren, young and old, can meet just to talk over 
things, to find out the normal human life forces 
and life processes, and really to discover them- 
selves. 

The field of work is the state and its people. 
The scope of the service is broad. Any indi- 
vidual or group of people in the state can 
obtain program material simply by writing and* 
asking for it. 

[47] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

In order to render the best aid possible, the 
system gathers data and information from 
reliable sources. Briefs upon subjects relating 
to country life, copies of festivals, pageants, 
plays, readings, dialogues, pictures of floats, 
parades, processions, exhibit arrangements, 
costume designs, character portrayals, plans of 
stages, auditoriums, open-air theaters, com- 
munity buildings, constitutions of all kinds of 
organizations, catalogues of book publishers — 
in short, every kind of material necessary in 
building a program which will help people to 
express themselves — are loaned for reading 
purposes to citizens of the state. A few min- 
utes' talk with anybody interested in getting up 
programs in small communities will soon show 
the dearth of material along these lines. 

In the years gone by, as well as in the pres- 
ent, the letters which come to the desk daily 
have told many an interesting story. 

An energetic teacher in a country school in 
the northern part of the state sent for several 
copies of plays and play catalogues. None of 
the plays sent suited her. She decided to give 
an original play, "The Comedy." When 
[48] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

asked for a description of the staging of the 
original production, she sent the following 
letter, which is indicative of what people really 
can do in the country to find themselves. 

"When I wrote to you about 'The Comedy,' 
I do not know what idea I gave you of it; 
perhaps not a very true one; so I am sending 
you a copy. The little song is one I learned 
from a victrola record, so the music may not 
be correct, but with a little originality, can be 
used. The little play has the quality of mak' 
ing the people expect something extraordinary, 
but when performed, the parts are funny, but 
still not funny enough to produce a 4 roar.' 
They are remembered and spoken of long 
afterwards. Now around here we often hear 
parts spoken of. I enjoyed training the young 
people, and they were quite successful. I have 
found that every place I go people in the coun- 
try enjoy the school programs very much and 
speak of them often. We wanted to take 
some pictures, but could not. The weather 
was so cloudy before and afterward that we 
could not take any, but may this Sunday after- 
noon. I wish I knew just what to write about 
or just what you wish to know. I liked our 
arrangements of lights. We only had lanterns. 
A dressing room was curtained off and the rest 
of the space clear. We hung four lanterns in a 
row, one below the other, and had one stand- 
ing on the floor at the side opposite from the 
[49] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

dressing room, and then one on the floor and 
one held by the man who pulled the curtain on 
the other side. This gave splendid light. 
There was no light near the audience except at 
the organ. 

"Hoping you will enjoy reading 'The Com- 
edy' as much as we did playing and writing it, 
I am 

"Yours sincerely, 

"A. K." 

There is something very human about a let- 
ter when it solicits your personal help and 
suggestions. To quote from several of the 
thousands received will not only show the need 
for the package library, because of the scarcity 
of material in small towns and the country, 
but also give an insight into the mind of the 
people themselves. 

"Barton, N. D., October 23, 1911. 

"Gentlemen: — Would you kindly send a 
copy of the following plays : Corner Store, 
The Deestrick Skule, Country Romance, Pa's 
Picnic, A Rival by Request, School for Scan- 
dal, Tempest in a Tea-pot, Which is Which. 

"I wish to get up an entertainment in my 

school and wish you could help me select a play 

which would not require too much room and 

too many actors. Will return the ones I do 

[50] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

not use immediately. Any favor which you 
may render will be greatly appreciated. 
"Very respectfully, 

U E. S." 

"Gilby, N. D., Jan. 18, 1912. 
"Dear Sir:— 

"Will you please forward your list of ama- 
teur plays. We are about to stage the annual 
H. S. play, and find it rather difficult to select a 
play not too sentimental in characters. We 
would like one for 5-7 boys and 5-8 girls. Our 
hall is small with cramped stage room, and the 
scene must be quite simple. If you have any 
suggestions to offer or any sample play to for- 
ward for examination, will you kindly let us 
know as soon as possible. 

"Yours very truly, 

"E. F. L." 

Ross, N. D., Jan. 22, 1913. 
"Dear Sir: — 

"Enclosed find plays, also stamps to cover 
mailing expenses. 

"Please send me the following amateur 
plays: Exerbition of District Skule, Mock 
Trial, Scrap of Paper, Sugar and Cream. 
Please send also the following as listed under 
package libraries : Manual Training, School 
House as an Art Gallery, School House as a 
Social Center, Fireless Cooker. 
"Yours truly, 

"M. C." 

[51] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

"Backoo, N. D., Jan. 24, 1914. 
"Dear Sir: — 

"I rec'd the packet of information on Coun- 
try Life and will return it after our next meet- 
ing the 27th. Can you send me two or three 
dialogues suitable for a Literary Society in a 
rural district. We have 6 or 8 young ladies 
that might take part but very few young men. 
And will you suggest a few subjects for debate 
of interest and benefit to a country community. 
"Yours truly, 

"J. B. P." 

"Austin, N. D., Feb. 11, 1914. 
"Gentlemen: — 

"I should be very glad if you could send me 
a short play of say 30 or 45 minutes length as 
you mentioned in Nov. We are using the 
schoolhouse as a meeting place and so have not 
much room on the stage. Could use one re- 
quiring from 4 to 8 characters. 
"Yours truly, 

"H. W. B." 

"Verona, N. D., Feb. 14, 1915. 

"Dear Mr. : 

"While to-day the blizzard rages outside — 
inside, thanks largely to yours and your de- 
partment's work, many of us will be felicitously 
occupied with the mental delights of literary 
preparation and participation. Our society is 
thriving splendidly. Last Friday another sim- 
[52] 




It Has a Seating Capacity of Two Hundred 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

ilar society was started in the country north of 
here. Went out and helped them organize. 
They named their club the Greenville Booster 
Club. Some of the leading lights are of the 
country's most substantial farmers. Suggest 
that you send literature on club procedure to 
their program committee. This community, 
both town and country north, has for the past 
many years been the scene of much senseless 
strife over town matters, school matters, etc. 

"I believe the dawn of an era of good feel- 
ing is at hand. These get-together clubs are 
bound to ^greatly facilitate matters that way. 
At their next meeting I am on their debate and 
supposed to get up a paper to read on any 
topic I choose, besides. Now with carrying the 
mail, writing for our newspaper, practicing and 
singing with the M. E. choir, also our literary 
male quartet, to say nothing of debating and 
declaiming and writing for two literaries my 
time is all taken up. Could you find me some- 
thing suitable for a reading? 

"Sincerely yours, 

"A. B." 

"Regan, N. Dak., Nov. 30, 1917. 
"Mr. A.- : 

"My sister sent to you for some plays which 
we are returning. We put on 'The Lonelyville 
Social Club' after ten days' practice and 
cleared $39.10 in Regan and $93.00 when we 
played it last night in Wilton. It took well 
[53] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

and we are much pleased with our effort. The 
proceeds go to the Red Cross. 

"Thanking you most sincerely, I am 
U V. C. P. (and the rest of the troop)." 

"Hensel, N. D., Mar. 15, 1918. 
"Dear Friend: 

"I received the paint which you sent me. I 
thank you very much for it, it certainly came in 
handy. Do you need it back or if not how 
much does it cost? I would rather buy it if you 
can spare it. 

"The play was a success. We had a big 
crowd everywhere. Everybody seemed to like 
it. Some proclaimed it to be the best home 
talent play they had seen. We have played it 
four times. Whether we play more has not 
been decided. 

"Yours truly, 

"A. H." 

"Overly, N. D., Mar. 21, 1918. 

"Gentlemen: — 

"Have you any book from the library that 
would help with a Patriotic entertainment to be 
given in this community for the benefit of the 
Red Cross? If you can offer suggestions also, 
we will appreciate it. 

"Thanking you, I am, truly yours, 

"G. L. D." 
[54] 





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IBr*** $ iL 




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_M l 


1 — B'JlS! 




THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

"Lansford, N. D., May 25, 1920. 
"Dear Mr. A. : 

"As a teacher in a rural school I gave a pro- 
gram at our school on last Saturday evening. 
We had an audience of about seventy-five peo- 
ple and they simply went wild over our pro- 
gram. Our school has an enrollment of four 
girls, being the only school in the county where 
only girls are enrolled and also the smallest 
school in the county. Our program lasted two 
hours and twentyminutes and was given by the 
four girls. 

"We have been asked to give our entertain- 
ment in the hall in Lansford. Now I want to 
ask you for a suggestion. Don't you think that 
in a make-up for 'grandmothers' that blocking 
out teeth and also for making the face appear 
wrinkled' would improve the parts in which 
grandmothers take part? 

"Would it be possible for you to send me the 
things necessary as I would like to get them as 
soon as possible and do not know where to send 
for them. If you can get them for me I shall 
send the money also postage, etc., as soon as I 
receive them. 

"Trusting that this will not inconvenience 
you greatly, I remain, 

"Very truly yours, 

"E. B." 

It is not an uncommon occurrence to get a 
long distance call at eleven o'clock at night 
[55] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

from someone two or three hundred miles 
away, asking for information. Telegrams are 
a common thing. Conferences with people who 
come from different communities for advice are 
frequent. The tower, the attic, and the pack- 
age library are an integral part of the theater. 
The aim of The Little Country Theater is 
to produce such plays and exercises as can be 
easily staged in a country schoolhouse, the base- 
ment of a country church, the sitting room of a 
farm home, the village or town hall, or any 
place where people assemble for social better- 
ment. Its principal function is to stimulate an 
interest in good clean drama and original en- 
tertainment among the people living in the 
open country and villages, in order to help 
them find themselves, that they may become 
better satisfied with the community in which 
they live. In other words, its real purpose is 
to use the drama and all that goes with the 
drama as a force in getting people together and 
acquainted with each other, in order that they 
may find out the hidden life forces of nature 
itself. Instead of making the drama a luxury 
for the classes, its aim is to make it an instru- 
[56] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

ment for the enlightenment and enjoyment of 
the masses. 

In a country town nothing attracts so much 
attention, proves so popular, pleases so many, 
or causes so much favorable comment as a 
home talent play. It is doubtful whether Sir 
Horace Plunkett ever appreciated the signifi- 
cance of the statement he once made when he 
said that the simplest piece of amateur acting 
or singing done in the village hall by one of the 
villagers would create more enthusiasm among 
his friends and neighbors than could be ex- 
cited by the most consummate performance of 
a professional in a great theater where no one 
in the audience knew or cared for the per- 
former. Nothing interests people in each other 
so much as habitually working together. It's 
one way people find themselves. A home talent 
play not only affords such an opportunity, but 
it also unconsciously introduces a friendly feel- 
ing in a neighborhood. It develops a com- 
munity spirit because it is something everybody 
wants to make a success, regardless of the 
local jealousies or differences of opinion. When 
[57] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

a country town develops a community con- 
sciousness, it satisfies its inhabitants. 

The drama is a medium through which 
America must inevitably express its highest 
form of democracy. When it can be used as an 
instrument to get people to express themselves, 
in order that they may build up a bigger and 
better community life, it will have performed 
a real service to society. When the people who 
live in the small community and the country 
awaken to the possibilities which lie hidden in 
themselves through the impulse of a vitalized 
drama, they will not only be less eager to move 
to centers of population, but will also be a force 
in attracting city folks to dwell in the country. 
The monotony of country existence will change 
into a newer and broader life. 

If The Little Country Theater can inspire 
people in country districts to do bigger things 
in order that they may find themselves, it will 
have performed its function. It is the Heart 
of a Prairie, dedicated to the expression of the 
emotions of country people everywhere and in 
all ages. 

[58] 



THE HEART OF A PRAIRIE 



THE HEART OF A PRAIRIE 

PEOPLE are more or less influenced by 
their emotions. What matters is not so 
much what persons think about certain 
things as how they feel toward them. Thought 
and emotion usually go hand in hand. One is 
essential to the other. It is through the heart 
of a people that emotions are expressed. For 
centuries the drama has been the great heart 
strength through which humanity expresses its 
higher and finer instincts. Its power to sway 
the feelings of mankind by seeking to find out 
the hidden life forces in us all can never be 
overestimated. It is through the drama that 
people learn to interpret human nature, its 
weakness and its strength. The sad and the 
happy, the rich and the poor, the strong and 
the weak, the young and the old, those with 
many different ideas and ideals see their actions 
reflected in this mirror. The supreme duty of 
[61] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

society is to point out the way to its citizens, 
whether they live in the country or in the city, 
to live happy and useful lives. In this respect 
the drama plays an important role. As Victor 
Hugo once said, "The theater is a crucible of 
civilization. It is a place of human communion. 
It is in the theater that the public soul is 
formed." 

In the early generations of the world it was 
the only form of human worship. The Shep- 
herds of the Nile conceived a sacred play in 
which the character "the God of the Overflow" 
foretold by means of dramatic expression the 
period of the flooding of the valley. The Vedic 
poets sang their songs in the land of the Five 
Rivers of India. The Hebrews expressed their 
religious philosophy through a democratic 
festival called the Feast of Tabernacles. The 
country people who made Rome their center 
celebrated the ingathering of their food with a 
festival called the Cerealia. The Festival of 
Demeter was a characteristic play of the early 
Greeks. The country people of the Orient had 
ritualistic dramas dealing with animal and 
plant life. The Incas, the Indians of Peru, 

[62] 



THE HEART OF A PRAIRIE 

worshiped at the Altars of Corn. In the realm 
of nature, Ceres, the goddess of grains, 
Mother Earth, Pomona, the goddess of fruits, 
Persephone, emblematical of the vegetable 
world, Flora, the goddess of flowers, Apollo, 
the sun god, and Neptune the god of water, 
have been the theme of many a dramatic story. 
All these ceremonies and many more not only 
signify the wide usage of this art in every age 
and every part of the world, but also unfold 
tremendous possibilities for future pageant, 
play, and pantomime among country people. 
If civilization's sense of appreciation could be 
aroused to see the hidden beauties of field and 
forest and stream — of God's great out of 
doors — men and women and children would 
flock to the countryside. The drama is one of 
the many agencies which seeks to stimulate this 
sense of appreciation. It deals with human 
problems by means of appeals to the emotions. 
The absence of a vision in many country 
communities has been one of the chief causes 
for their backwardness, their dullness, and 
their monotony. When the country develops a 
robust social mind, one that appeals because of 
[63] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

the bigness of the theme, it is then that life in 
the open and on the soil will become attractive. 
The lure of the white way will pass like ships 
at night. That a new light seems to be break- 
ing is evidenced by the establishment of con- 
solidated schools, community buildings, and 
country parks. These and other social institu- 
tions, together with better means of communi- 
cation and transportation, materially assist in 
the solution of the country life problems. A 
country district must be active and not passive 
if it would interest the young and even the old. 
If the drama can serve as just one of the 
mediums to get the millions of country people 
here and elsewhere to express themselves in 
order that they may find themselves there is 
no telling what big things will happen in the 
generations to come. If, as has often been said, 
agriculture is the mother of civilization, then 
every energy of a people and every agency 
dramatic and otherwise, should be bent to make 
that life eventful and interesting from every 
angle. The function of The Little Country 
Theater is to reveal the inner life of the coun- 
try community in all its color and romance, 
[64] 



THE HEART OF A PRAIRIE 

especially in its relation to the solution of the 
problems in country life. It aims to interpret 
the life of the people of the state, which is the 
life of genuine American country folks. 



[65] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

WHILE still in its infancy, the work of 
The Little Country Theater has al- 
ready more than justified its existence. 
It has produced many festivals, pageants, and 
plays and has been the source of inspiration to 
scores of country communities. One group of 
young people from various sections of the 
state, representing five different nationalities, 
Scotch, Irish, English, Norwegian, and Swede, 
successfully staged "The Fatal Message,'* a 
one-act comedy by John Kendrick Bangs. An- 
other cast of characters from the country pre- 
sented "Cherry Tree Farm," an English 
comedy, in a most acceptable manner. An il- 
lustration to demonstrate that a home talent 
play is a dynamic force in helping people find 
themselves was afforded in the production of 
"The Country Life Minstrels" by an organ- 
[69] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

ization of young men coming entirely from the 
country districts. The story reads like a fairy 
tale. The club decided to give a minstrel show. 
At the first rehearsal nobody possessed any 
talent, except one young man. He could clog. 
At the second rehearsal, a tenor and a mando- 
lin player were discovered. At the third, sev- 
eral other good voices were found, a quartet 
and a twelve piece band were organized. 
When the show was presented, twenty-eight 
different young men furnished a variety of acts 
equal to a first class professional company. 
They all did something and entered into the 
entertainment with a splendid spirit. "Leo- 
narda," a play by Bjornstjerne Bjornson with 
Norwegian music between acts, made an excel- 
lent impression. 

Perhaps the most interesting incident that 
has occurred in connection with the work in 
this country life laboratory was the staging of 
a tableau, "A Farm Home Scene in Iceland 
Thirty Years Ago," by twenty young men and 
women of Icelandic descent whose homes are 
in the country districts of North Dakota. The 
tableau was very effective. The scene repre- 
[70] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

sented an interior sitting room of an Icelandic 
home. The walls were whitewashed. In the 
rear of the room was a fireplace. The old 
grandfather was seated in an armchair near the 
fireplace reading a story in the Icelandic lan- 
guage. About the room were several young 
ladies dressed in Icelandic costumes busily en- 
gaged in spinning yarn and knitting, a favorite 
pastime in their home. On a chair at the right 
was a young man with a violin, playing selec- 
tions by an Icelandic composer. Through the 
small windows rays of light representing the 
midnight sun and the northern lights were 
thrown. Every detail of their home life was 
carried out, even to the serving of coffee with 
lumps of sugar. Just before the curtain fell, 
twenty young people, all of Icelandic descent, 
joined in singing the national Icelandic song, 
which has the same tune as "America." The 
effect of the tableau was tremendous. It 
served as a force in portraying the life of one 
of the many nationalities represented in the 
state. 

When "The Servant in the House" by 
Charles Rann Kennedy was presented, it was 
[71] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

doubtful in my mind whether a better Manson 
and Mary ever played the parts. Both the 
persons who took the characters were country 
born. Their interpretation was superb, their 
acting exceptional. In fact, all the characters 
were well done. Three crowded houses 
greeted the play. 

An alert and aggressive young man from 
one part of the state who witnessed several 
productions in the theater one winter was in- 
strumental in staging a home talent play in the 
empty hayloft of a large barn during the sum- 
mer months. The stage was made of barn 
floor planks. The draw curtain was an old, 
rain-washed binder cover. Ten barn lanterns 
hung on a piece of fence wire furnished the 
border lights. Branches of trees were used 
for a background on the stage. Planks rest- 
ing on old boxes and saw-horses were made 
into seats. A Victrola served as an orchestra. 
About a hundred and fifty people were in at- 
tendance at the play. The folks evidently 
liked the play, for they gave the proceeds to a 
baseball team. 

Every fall harvest festivals are given in dif- 

r 72 1 




Scene — "Leonarda" By Bjornstjerne Bjornson 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

ferent sections of the state, with the sole pur- 
pose of showing the splendid dramatic possi- 
bilities in the field of agriculture. A feature 
in one given a few years ago is deserving of 
special mention. Country people in North 
Dakota raise wheat. The state is often called 
the bread basket of the world. A disease called 
black rust often infests the crop and causes the 
loss of many bushels. In order to depict the 
danger of this disease, a pantomime called 
"The Quarrel Scene between Black Rust and 
Wheat" was worked out. The character rep- 
resenting Wheat was taken by a beautiful fair- 
haired girl dressed in yellow, with a miniature 
sheaf of grain tucked in her belt. The cos- 
tume worn by Black Rust was coal-colored 
cambric. The face was made up to symbolize 
death. Wheat entered and, free from care, 
moved gracefully around. Black Rust stealth- 
ily crept in, pursued and threatened to destroy 
Wheat. Just about the time Wheat was ready 
to succumb, Science came to the rescue and 
drove Black Rust away. Wheat triumphed. 
Several thousand people saw this wonderful 
story unfolded in the various places where it 
[73] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

was presented. Everybody caught the signifi- 
cance of it at once. 

Just the other day a farmer from Divide 
County who had planned a consolidated school- 
house came to the theater, in order to find out 
how to install a stage "so the people in his 
community could enjoy themselves" as he put 
it. Divide County is some three hundred 
miles from The Little Country Theater. 

One young man from the northwestern part 
of the state wrote me a letter well worth read- 
ing. He said in part: 

"Dear Sir: — I thought you might like to 
know how we came out on the play 'Back to 
the Farm,' so I am writing to tell you of the 
success we had. 

"In the first place we had a director-general 
who didn't believe in doing things by halves. 
For nearly a month we rehearsed three times 
a week. That means after the day's work was 
done we ate a hasty supper, hurried through 
the chores, cranked up the Ford and 'beat it' 
to rehearsal. And when we did give it we 
didn't waste our efforts in a little schoolhouse 
with a stage consisting of a carpet on the floor 
and a sheet hung on a wire for the curtain. 
Nix! We had an outfit that any theater in a 
fair sized town might well be proud of. 
[74] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

"Well, we had a full house and then some, 
they even came from Minot fifty miles north 
of here and from other neighboring towns. 
After it was over we got all kinds of press 
notices, nice complimentary ones, too. Our 
fame even went as far as Washburn and the 
County Supt. of Schools asked us to come down 
and give it at the Teachers' Institute, Nov. 4, 
to give the teachers an idea what could be done 
in other communities y'see? We didn't go 
though, didn't have any way to pay expenses 
as he wanted to give it free. However, we 
went to Garrison, Ryder, Parshall, Makoti 
and drew a full house every time except once 
and that was due to insufficient advertising, 
only two days. We collected enough money to 
buy chairs and other furnishings for our new 
( Little Country Theater' and also the salary of 
an instructor to our orchestra we are just 
starting. 

"Our stage is surely 'great.' The wings, in- 
terior set and arch are made of beaver board, 
with frames of scantling, the frame of the arch, 
however, is not scantling, but two by fours. It 
is all made in such a manner that it can be 
knocked down and packed away, when we wish 
to use the building for basketball or other 
games. The back drop is the most beautiful 
landscape I have ever seen, a real work of art. 

"The front drop curtain is what made it 
possible for us to get the entire outfit. It has 
the ad of nearly every business man in Ryder 
[75] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

and represents something like $240. The com- 
plete stage cost us $200 so we still had some 
left over. 

"The theater which is not yet completed is 
in the basement of the new brick consolidated 
school. It will be steam heated and later elec- 
tric lighted, two dressing rooms back of the 
stage, and well I guess that's enough for 
a while. The auditorium will be about 19 x 
40 ft. 

"Now I believe what we can do others can 
do as we are only an ordinary community, our 
director was a college graduate with a lot of 
pep and push, that's all. 

"Do you ever loan out any of your scenery? 
Another party who has 'caught the fever,' is 
going to try the same stunt with modifications. 
I am getting to be a sort of an unofficial agent 
for your Extension Div. as people here are 
getting interested in these 'doin's' so don't be 
surprised if you get a letter from us now and 
then. 

"Yours truly, 

"A. R." 

When "The Little Red Mare," a one-act 
farce was given, Hugh's father came down to 
see me and tell me that if there was anything 
needed in the country it was more life and good 
entertainments for the young people. He was 
[76] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

a very interesting character and a bit philo- 
sophical. When I told him about the mistakes 
made in the work, he pulled out a lead pencil, 
placed it between his fat thumb and finger and 
looking straight at me said, "if it wasn't for 
mistakes we'd never have rubbers on the ends 
of our pencils." His son, Hugh, who took the 
character of the old deaf fellow in the play, 
did a superb piece of acting. 

Over in the village of Amenia they have a 
country theater. It is located on the second 
floor up over a country store, and has a seat- 
ing capacity of about one hundred and seventy- 
five people. The stage is medium size. The 
curtain is a green draw curtain. The lighting 
system is unique, containing border lights, foot 
lights, house lights, and a dimmer. The plays 
selected and produced are only the best. One 
villager said he never thought plays would 
change the spirit of the community so much. 

Up near Kensal, North Dakota, about four 
miles out from the town, the McKinley 
Farmers' Club have a place modeled in some 
ways after The Little Country Theater. The 
country people formed a hall association, sold 
[77] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

stock to the extent of three thousand dollars, 
donated their labor, and put up the building. 
The site was given by a country merchant. It is 
a typical rural center, consisting of auditorium, 
stage, rest rooms, dining room, and kitchen. 
An excellent description of its activities is con- 
tained in a letter from one of its members 
dated April 17, 1918, which I shall quote in 
part: 

"The club year, just closed has been satis- 
factory in all events. From a social standpoint, 
this community through the efforts of the Mc- 
Kinley Club has enjoyed the fellowship of their 
neighbors and friends in a manner that is for- 
eign to most rural communities. 

"The officials of the past year have injected 
literary work into its meetings or rather at the 
close of the club meeting. Meetings are held 
on the second and fourth Saturday evenings of 
each month. The men of the club meet in the 
auditorium and transact regular business while 
the Ladies' Aid of the Club meet in the dining 
rooms. At the close of the business session all 
congregate in the auditorium where a program 
made up of songs, recitations, readings, essays, 
debates, dialogues, monologues, the club jour- 
nal, four minute speeches, etc., is given. With 
the program or literary over, all retire to the 
dining rooms, where the ladies have a lunch ar- 
[78] 




Scene — "The Servant in the House" 
By Charles Rann Kennedy 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

ranged which is always looked forward to. 
Home talent plays and public speakers are 
from time to time in order and always enjoyed. 
A five piece orchestra composed from amongst 
the membership play for dances, at plays, etc. 
The dramatic talent of the club has just played 
'A Noble Outcast' and despite a rainy evening 
the proceeds counted up to $93.00. The pro- 
ceeds were used to pay for the inclosing of the 
stage and stage scenery. They will put this on 
again, the proceeds to go to buy tobacco for 
the boys 'Over There.' Last June the club 
members and their families in autos made a 
booster trip boosting the play 'Back to the 
Farm,' presented by The Little Country Thea- 
ter Players. They canvassed ten towns in a 
single day, driving one hundred and twenty 
miles. The result was that when the ticket 
force checked up $225.00 had been realized. 
The club celebrates its anniversary in June of 
each year. 

"The Ladies' Aid of the club have been a 
great help and their presence always appre- 
ciated. To date they have paid for out of their 
funds, and installed in the club hall, a lighting 
system that is ornamental and is of the best, a 
piano, kitchen range, and a full set of dishes 
with the club monogram in gold letters in- 
scribed on each piece. 

"The stage is enclosed and scenery in place 
so that the dramatic talent of the community 
have an ideal place for work. 
[79] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

"I have in a hurried manner given you some 
of our doings in general. 

"Respectfully, 

"J. S. J." 

I shall never forget the night referred to in 
the above letter when "Back to the Farm" was 
given in the hall. Automobiles loaded with 
people came from miles around. The hall was 
packed. Children were seated on the floor 
close up to the stage. Fifty persons occupied a 
long impromptu plank bench in the center aisle, 
with their bodies facing one way and their 
heads looking toward the stage. They stood 
on chairs in the vestibule at the back. The 
windows were full of people. Three men paid 
fifty cents each to stand on a ladder and watch 
the play through the window near the stage. 
It was as enthusiastic and appreciative a crowd 
as ever witnessed a play. They still talk about 
it, too. 

One of the most artistic pieces of work ever 
done in the Theater was the part of "Babbie" 
in Barrie's play "The Little Minister." The 
charming young lady who took the character 
seemed, as the folks say, "to be born for it." 
[80] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

"Little Women" a dramatization of Louisa 
Alcott's book was also cleverly acted. 

A group of twenty young men and women 
from fifteen different communities dramatized 
"The Grand Prairie Community School Build- 
ing" project in five scenes. The first scene told 
the story of the organization of the Grand 
Prairie Farmers' Club in the old one-room 
country school, and the endorsement of the new 
structure. The second showed the plans and 
specifications of the proposed building, by 
means of an illustrated lecture given in the old 
town hall. In the third and fourth parts the 
basement with the installation of the lighting 
system and the preparation of the lunch in the 
kitchen for the visitors were portrayed. The 
last scene displayed the auditorium and stage in 
the community school building complete, to- 
gether with the dedication ceremonies. The 
scenery, properties, curtains, and lighting ef- 
fects were arranged by these young men and 
women. The two hundred people who saw this 
dramatic demonstration will never forget the 
effect it had upon them. It proved that any 
community which is farsighted enough can with 

[81] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

imagination and organization erect a similar 
structure or remodel a village hall so the peo- 
ple can have a place to express themselves. The 
essentials are an assembly room and a stage, 
that's all. 

Three outdoor spectacles, "The Pastimes of 
the Ages," "The Enchantment of Spring," and 
"The Master Builder" revealed the infinite 
possibilities of the drama in picturing "tongues 
in trees, books in running brooks, sermons in 
stones, and good in everything." All of these 
pageants and many more aim to teach the peo- 
ple who live in God's gardens to appreciate 
their surroundings. "The Pastimes of the 
Ages," as well as the other two outdoor plays, 
was presented on a flat prairie, a parade ground 
about three or four hundred feet from The 
Little Country Theater. Over fifteen thousand 
people saw the spectacle and twelve hundred 
people took part in it. The scene was a most 
impressive one. At one end of the natural out- 
door ampitheater the silent sphinx and three 
pyramids rose in all their Oriental grandeur. 
At the other stood a temple of glittering gold, 
in which the Spirit of Mirth reigned supreme. 
[82] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

The play opened with Mirth running out of the 
temple singing and dancing. In the distance 
she saw a caravan approaching the pyramids. 
She beckoned them to come forward. The 
grand procession followed. On entering the 
temple the sojourners were greeted by flower 
maidens. Mirth then bade the caravan to be 
seated on the steps of marble and witness some 
of "The Pastimes of the Ages." The Greek 
games were played. An Egyptian ballet was 
danced. Forty maidens clad in robes of purple 
with hands stretched heavenward chanted a 
prayer. Two hundred uniformed Arabs 
drilled. The chimes rang. Mirth gestured for 
all to rise and sing. The bands en masse 
struck the notes of that song immortal, written 
by Francis Scott Key. The caravan, having 
seen all the pastimes in which men and women 
have indulged in ages gone by, journeyed back 
to the place from whence it came. And the 
story of the most gorgeous spectacle ever seen, 
on the Dacotah prairie ended. 

"The Enchantment of Spring" was a pag- 
eant in two episodes, with its theme taken 
from the field of agriculture. The setting was 
[83 1 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

The Temple of Ceres. The Herald of Spring 
came to the temple with Neptune the God of 
Water, Mother Earth, Growth, Apollo the 
God of the Sun, Persephone emblematical of 
the vegetable world, Demeter the Goddess of 
Grains, Flora the Goddess of Flowers, and 
Pomona the Goddess of Fruits, to announce 
the approach of Spring. The trumpeters sig- 
naled the coming of the east and west and north 
and south winds. They met, they quarreled 
and Fate drove the north wind away. The 
three winds then counseled with Neptune, 
Apollo, and Mother Earth, companions of 
Growth, as to her whereabouts. They finally 
discovered Growth at work and bade her to go 
to the temple. The welcome and the rejoicing 
followed. At the entry of Spring, the flowers 
awoke. Ceres called to Spring to come to the 
steps of the temple. The Crowning of Spring 
ended the pageant. When it was produced, it 
opened up the vision of many people as to the 
latent possibilities of the drama in the voca- 
tion of agriculture. 

Just recently "The Master Builder" was pre- 
sented. The scene of the story was laid in the 
[84] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

Great Outdoors. The play centers about a 
man who builds, a mechanic called the Master 
Builder. In his dream a vision comes to him, 
a picture of a beautiful temple that he has 
longed for years to construct. Around him 
and about him the dream children dance. They 
are the messengers that tell him that the work- 
men are coming. Before him in a procession, 
passes Ahura Mazda and the Sun Worshipers, 
Vulcanus and the torch-bearers, Atlas and his 
men of power, the Great Architect and his as- 
sociates, Praxiteles and the stone-cutters, Tubal 
Cain and the blacksmiths, Joseph and the car- 
penters, and Michael Angelo and the painters. 
After he consults with the architects and ap- 
proves the plans, they sing and rejoice. Na- 
ture's forces — light, power, and fire — combine 
to help him realize his dream. Even the 
flames, often the elements of destruction, turn 
their energies into power to help him. Finally, 
Praxiteles and the stone-cutters begin the tem- 
ple, and Joseph and the carpenters, Tubal Cain 
and the blacksmiths, Michael Angelo and the 
painters complete it. The Anvil Chorus plays, 
Enlightenment awakens the Master Builder 
[85] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

from his dream, and Achievement shows him 
that his vision has been realized. The beauti- 
ful temple stands before him. 

All three of these spectacles show untold 
dramas in fields of thought yet untouched. 
They were mediums through which the ideals, 
the traditions, and the beauties of nature and 
human nature could be expressed. 

The great mass of people in the state love 
good plays. Just like most folks, they want 
something with a homely story mixed with a 
few bits of comedy. Ninety out of a hundred 
persons are usually human, anyway. "David 
Harum," a three-act comedy by Eugene Noyes 
Westcott, seemed to hit the right spot with 
hundreds of the Dacotah folks. Personally, I 
do not believe a finer piece of non-professional 
acting has ever been done in America than that 
of the young man who took the part of David 
Harum. His phenomenal success in the char- 
acter is all due to the fact that he lived the part 
every time he acted it. Naturally, he had 
strong support in the presentation of the play. 

One incident in regard to the place of its 
production I shall never forget. During the 
[86] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

past twenty-five years it has been my good for- 
tune to see plays and programs presented in 
village halls, schoolhouses, churches, homes, 
country stores, gymnasiums, auditoriums, thea- 
ters, hotels, barns, parks, groves, streets, and 
other places. But I have never had the good 
fortune to see a baseball diamond used for a 
theater, and on the Fourth of July, with a play 
like "David Harum." It all happened down 
at Lisbon. The second baseball game had just 
finished. It was about six-thirty in the evening. 
A frame of two-by-four scantling was erected 
and braced like a city billboard. The center of 
the frame was exactly nine feet from the home 
plate. On it fourteen foot green draperies 
were hung. A large soiled canvas was laid on 
the worn ground for the stage. Three electric 
bulbs with a few batteries and two good sized 
automobiles furnished all the light necessary 
for the production. The baseball pits, where 
the players stay before they are called upon to 
bat, were used as dressing rooms. The crowd 
began to assemble at half past seven, and at 
eight o'clock the bleachers were brimful. The 
overflow crowd was seated on planks, close up 
[87] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

to the stage. For two solid hours and on the 
Fourth of July, mind you, several hundred peo- 
ple sat, watched, and listened to David Harum. 
Not a soul left. The interest manifested by the 
audience was tense at all times. It was one of 
the most unique instances ever experienced by 
the writer. 

An Indian drama called, ''Sitting Bull-Cus- 
ter," written by an Episcopal priest, now a 
judge in Sioux County, told the story of the 
Redman's version of the Custer Massacre. It 
was presented on a Dacotah prairie at sunset, 
seven years ago. The scene represented an In- 
dian village on the Little Big Horn River. It 
was dawn, June twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred 
and seventy six. A thick clump of trees, in 
which the Indian characters, Echonka, Gall, 
Rain-in-the-Face, Old-man, Old-woman, and 
Old-Woman-Diviner were hidden, furnished 
the background. There, secluded as spies, they 
anxiously awaited the arrival of Sitting Bull, 
believing that he would unfold valuable secrets 
in regard to the coming battle. Fool-mink, an 
Indian story teller and singer, the comedian of 
the play, was everywhere present. He sang 
[88] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

and he danced. His music irritated Rain-in- 
the-Face, because it reminded him of the time 
Tom Custer handcuffed him. In several sharp 
encounters which ensued between Fool-Mink 
and Rain-in-the-Face, Gall acted as the peace- 
maker. Silence reigned. Sitting Bull arrived. 
He looked at the dawn wistfully, started a fire, 
and sat down beside it. He spoke with rapid 
tongue. He told the story of the Redman, the 
most misunderstood creature on earth. He 
gave the reason why his race feared the white 
man — he wanted to be left alone and have food 
to eat. He foretold the battle. Suddenly his 
body became as rigid as a statue. Mid pauses, 
he spoke in a far-away ghostly voice. 

"Great Custer speaks. I hear him say, 
Brave action crushes calumny. 
No lies can crush a glittering fact, 
If man, ignoring self, will act. 
I'm not a man without a flaw, 
What man has not his foibles? Pshaw! 
Courtmartial me ! For what? To blight 
My name ! I swear, by yonder light 
Of morning, I've no serious wrong ! 
The truth will flame abroad ere long. 
Their teeth shall bite the dust to-day, 
A soldier's grave can sing a lay 

[89] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Of praise, while foibles dare not peep, 
And those who twisted foibles sleep 
Forgotten. They suppose I shrink 
From death as they do. As they think 
They judge me. Open your sweet jaws, 
Brave death, and swallowing petty flaws, 
Make Custer's rightful honor bright 
And clean, as youthful morning light! 
To die! To die gives them the shame, 
And me, I ask no word of fame, 
Save this, — that ere I slept in dust. 
He pauses, waves his lifted hand, 
He's beckoning toward the spirit land." 

In this reverie he pictured Custer as the idol 
of the Redman. The arrival of the herald 
from the enemy's camp awakened him from his 
stupor. A council of war was hastily called. 
It was noon and after. The battle was on. 
The smoke rose in every direction. Soldiers 
and warriors appeared and disappeared. 
Echonka was seen. His gun failed to dis- 
charge. A bullet laid him low. Winona, 
Echonka's lover, came running, looked at him 
with an agonized face, lifted her hands toward 
heaven, and shrieked. She knelt at his side and 
cried as if her heart would break. The fatal 
day soon ended. It was after sunset. Sitting 
[90] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

Bull in searching among the dead found the 
body of Custer. The wailing for the dead 
could just be heard. He uttered a soliloquy, 
covered Custer's face with a silk handkerchief, 
lifted his own face and hands in prayer, and 
was silent. The play ended. 

The effect upon the three thousand persons 
who witnessed the Indian play was excellent. 

Religious dramas, sometimes in prose and 
poetry and often in tableau and pantomime, 
are given. "The Evergreen Tree," "The 
Nazarene in Song and Story," and "The Man 
of Galilee" were especially well presented. 
Every year a series of one-act plays is produced 
for the sole purpose of training young men and 
women to be able to stage dramas in the dis- 
tricts where they expect to live. Programs 
containing features characteristic of the ac- 
tivities of a community are frequently given. 

A great many original plays have been 
written and presented to large crowds. "The 
Prairie Wolf," "Bridging the Chasm," "Every 
Ship Will Find a Harbor," "The New Country 
Woman," "The Country Side," not to men- 
tion dozens of others, are productions which 

[91] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

have come out of the country people them- 
selves. The place was crowded at the pre- 
sentation of every one of these plays. Over 
eighty per cent of the audiences were country 
people, who had come to see dramas of their 
own creation, plays that had come out of the 
soil. "The Prairie Wolf" was written by a 
young man who was interested in horses and 
cattle. It pictured in a most vivid manner the 
financial troubles of a great many farmers. 
The central thought in "Bridging the Chasm" 
brought out the gap between city and country. 
A city girl and a country boy had fallen in love 
with each other. The city prejudice against 
country people made her hesitate before she 
said yes. "Every Ship Will Find a Harbor" 
was worked out by a country lad who was very 
fond of machinery and electricity. The action 
of the play took place in a country store, in the 
woods near the Langer farm, and in the sitting 
room of a farm home. The play told the story 
of a lazy country boy who decided to leave the 
farm and go west in search of adventure, and 
to study about machinery with the aid of a cor- 
respondence course. He didn't like school. 
[92] 



CHARACTERISTIC INCIDENTS 

After being in the employ of a western power 
company for a few years, he returned home. 
His arm was broken. While at home he be- 
came interested in the community where he was 
born. In order to help his people enjoy life he 
showed them how to harness nature's power, 
so that the drudgery of the farm might be done 
by machinery instead of man power. The 
crowd which witnessed this play was a very 
responsive one. "The New Country Woman," 
written by a girl of French descent, brought 
out the leadership of woman in improving the 
social conditions in the country. There were 
ten characters in the play. The action took 
place in three scenes. The existing rural con- 
ditions in the state were splendidly portrayed 
in "The Country Side." It was exceptionally 
well written, the thought and the English well 
nigh perfect. 

Whenever possible, the young people who 
are competent are broken in as directors on the 
original plays as well as on the others. This 
is done to give them the experience, so that 
they can help when called upon in their com- 
munities to assist. It also develops leadership. 
[93] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

In other words, The Little Country Theater is 
not only a laboratory to try out different kinds 
of plays and entertainments for country folks, 
but also a place to train country-life workers. 

One could go on indefinitely with hundreds 
of incidents which show the magnitude of the 
work of this particular country-life laboratory 
in the Northwest. 



[94] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

JUST a few years past a young man from 
near Edmunds, North Dakota, came to 
see me. He said he wanted to try a hand 
at writing a play. When asked what was the 
most interesting thing in his life at that par- 
ticular time, he told me about two people who 
had lived on the farm the greater share of 
their lives. One wanted to retire and the other 
to remain. I asked him how he stood on the 
subject and he said if he were to make a de- 
cision he would stay on the farm. "Good," 
said I, "there's the theme for your play, coun- 
try life versus city life. Lay the scene of the 
first act in the city and have the farmer re- 
tired, showing that all the advantages of real 
life are not found in the city. Place the second 
act out in the country and demonstrate the 
social possibilities of life on the farm." 
[97] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Nothing more was said. He left the office. 
In about three or four weeks he returned with 
a copy of a play. It was written in lead pencil 
on an old-fashioned yellow tablet. I asked 
him what the name of the play was, and he 
said he had called it "A Bee in a Drone's 
Hive." At first I objected to the title, but 
after questioning him found that the reason he 
called the play, "A Bee in a Drone's Hive" 
was that he thought that a man who really 
understood the country should never move to 
the city; that he was just as much out of place 
in the city as a bee was in a drone's hive. 

At first thought, I intended to go over the 
play with him and correct it and make a sug- 
gestion here and there. Then another idea 
struck me. What if this young man were out 
in the country, would it be possible for him to 
have anybody go over a play he had written 
there? Just about that time I made a trip 
east and read the play to several audiences. It 
met with a hearty reception wherever read. 
After a talk with a great many playwrights, 
authors, and men of affairs, I came to the in- 
evitable conclusion that the best thing to do 
[98] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

was to bring the play back and let the author 
stage it just as he had written it. This was 
done. Within several weeks the play was pre- 
sented in the theater. 

A full house greeted the performance. Men 
and women from all over the state were pres- 
ent to witness the production. Everybody said 
it was the best thing they had ever seen. Rural 
workers in the audience claimed it was one of 
the finest arguments in favor of country life 
that they had ever heard. The author took the 
part of Hiram Johnson, the philosopher. His 
make-up was remarkable. He did it himself. 
After the play several persons suggested that 
the thing for him to do was to go away and 
take some courses in writing plays. This did 
not appeal to him, as he loved the farm and 
wanted to leturn to it. What he really found 
out was that he could express himself. 

To-day he operates nearly four hundred 
acres of land. He has forty head of cattle, 
eight of which are registered short-horns. He 
is a successful farmer in every respect. During 
his spare moments he takes part in home talent 
plays. He loves the drama. He is married 
and has a family. r 99 i 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

"A Bee in a Drone's Hive" is the product 
from the mind of a farmer who actually farms 
and lives on the farm. Following is the play 
in full form just as he wrote it and as it was 
produced. 

ACTI. 

Scene: Benson's home in the city. Room lavishly furnished. 
Ethel at desk writing, Mr. Benson sitting in easy chair 
reading, and Mrs. Benson darning socks. 

Mrs. Benson 
Ethel, who are you writing to? 

Ethel 

Oh, I was just dropping a line to brother 

Harry. Thought he would be glad to know 

how we were getting along in the city by now. 

You know I promised him I would write often 

and let him know how you and father took to 

city life. He said you would never like it here 

after the novelty of it wore off. 

Mrs. Benson 

Tell him I would write some, too, only I'm 

such a poor writer and it hasn't been long 

since I did write. You know people like to get 

letters often, so if you write now, and then me 

after while, he may like it better. I want to 

[100] 





} -;i 




.;^p 






E&r 




. : $ 


M i^^aw 











Scene — "A Bee in a Drone's Hive" 
£j/ C*«7 Baker 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

read what you have written when you get 
through. Ethel 

Sorry, mother, but I can't let you read this 
one — at least all of it. You know brother and 
I always did confide in each other. I've often 
thought how much better we understand each 
other than most brothers and sisters, and how 
much more pleasant it is. I always feel sorry 
for girls who have no brothers and for boys 
who have no sisters. 

Mr. Benson 

You say you're writin' to Harry, Ethel? By 
jinks, I'd like to know how he is getting along 
on the old homestead. S'pose he's got his 
grain most cleaned by now, and just waitin' 
till it thaws out so he can get into the fields. 
I'd sure like to see that car load of yearlin's he 
says he just bought. Bet that bunch he's fin- 
ishin' for the June market is fine by now; you 
know he wrote last spring that they were 
lookin' mighty promisin' and he takes such 
pride in them, too. 

Mrs. Benson 

Harry does think a lot of the stock and that 
[101] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

dear little wife he got takes such an interest in 
things, too, and she's so encouraging. Did you 
notice the way she pulled him out of the blues 
once when they were first married? He always 
goes to her for advice in everything he does. 

Mr. Benson 
Yes, and by Jinks, her advice is worth some- 
thin' too. Harry always says that's just the 
way he looks at it, but thought he'd ask her 
first. You know as how I used to always be 
against those agricultural colleges and never 
had much faith in 'em. Well, that pair has 
completely converted me. Harry never did 
like stock till he went away to school. As soon 
as he got back he began talkin' as how we could 
improve ours, and as how many we ought to 
have more for the size of our farm. By jinks, 
I've got to slip out there fore long and see 
those cattle. 

Ethel rises with two letters in hand and rings 
for the butler, 

Mrs. Benson 
Looks as though you were confiding in some- 
one else, too. 

[102] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Ethel 

Oh no, just a letter to Mabel. 
Mr. Benson 

Rising. 

Ethel, if you don't care I'll take your let 
ters to the box. I've simply got to get more 
fresh air. I've begun to feel like a house plant 
what's bin sittin' in the bay window all winter. 
When the hired man comes, tell him to fix up 
the fire. 

Ethel 

All right, father. Be sure you put the let- 
ters in a mail box and not in the police tele- 
phone box like you did once. (Exit Mr. 
Benson.) Mother, father makes me think of a 
bee in a drone's hive; he's just dying for some- 
thing to do and there isn't a thing around here 
to do that would satisfy him. He's just aching 
to be out among the stock on the farm. I 
really feel sorry for him, but I guess there 
isn't any way to better things ; he's not able to 
run the farm any longer. 

Mrs. Benson 

No, he isn't and I wouldn't think of movin' 
in with Harry and Jennie, even though they 
L103] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

wouldn't object. It breaks up the home spirit 
so to have two families in one home. IVe 
never let on to your pa, but I don't like the city 
life half as well as I thought I would, and I 
really never thought of what a handicap it 
would be to you. 

Ethel 
Oh, don't you care about me. 1 have a 
good home here as long as you live and I don't 
know of a place where I'm needed as bad as I 
am right here looking after you and father. I 
consider it my calling. 

Mrs. Benson 
I don't see how we would get along here 
without you, but it's not fair, and you don't 
owe it. I was just thinking the other day about 
Clarence. He must be about through college 
by now. There wasn't a better fellow livin' 
than Clarence and he seemed to think, so much 
of you. How's come you and him don't write 
any more ? You used to. 
Ethel 
Yes, we did write till three years ago, when 
he failed to answer my letter and I never wrote 
again. 

[104] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Mrs. Benson 
Maybe he didn't get your letter. 

Ethel 
I heard through a friend that he did. I 
thought that if he didn't want to write, that 
was his own business. I suppose he found an- 
other girl. But mother, it's hard to forget — 
I didn't know I did care so much. But — oh 
well, it's too late now. I'm going to stay by 
you and father, so I should worry. 
{Walks across room to desk.) 

Mrs. Benson 
Speaking to self. 
I wish we had never come to the city. Poor 

Ethel 
Mother, I've something amusing to tell you. 
What do you think, Mr. Smith, who called to 
see me last night, asked me to marry him. 
Mrs. Benson 

What! Ethel 

Wouldn't that make you laugh? 

Mrs. Benson 
Why, you haven't known him more than a 
month and a half, have you ? 
[105] 



the little country theater 

Ethel 
No, and I've only seen him a few times at 
that. 

Mrs. Benson 
That beats anything I ever heard of. Is 
the fellow in his right mind? 
Ethel 
Oh, I guess he's sane enough — but he's so 
used to having his money get what he wants, 
that I suppose he thought it would buy me, 
too. 

Mrs. Benson 
How much money has he got? 

Ethel 
I don't know, but from the way he talks he 
must have quite a bit. 

Mrs. Benson 
Well, he had better trade some of it for a 
little common sense. 

Ethel 
By the way, mother, is this Thursday or 
Friday? You know we've invited the Aster- 
bilts for dinner Friday, and you know — 
Mrs. Benson 
Interrupting. 

[106] 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

That's what's the matter, and this is Friday 
and it's six-thirty now. They ought to have 
been here three-quarters of an hour ago — 
mighty good thing they're late. 
Ethel 
I wonder if the maid has forgotten, too. 

Mrs. Benson 
My goodness, what if she has forgotten! 
You be straightening the room — I'll go and see 
her. 

Exit Mrs. Benson. Enter butler. 

Walter 
Sorry, I'm so long, Miss Ethel. 

Ethel 
You don't look so very long to me. Fix the 
fire and see that everything is ready for com- 
pany, the Asterbilts are coming. 
Walter 
The Asterbilts! You having those swell 
bugs here ! You had better order a butler and 
have him delivered at once. 
Exit Walter. 

Ethel 
This is an awful state of affairs. Here the 
swellest people in town are coming and we're 
[107] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

not ready. I didn't much want to have them, 
but mother insisted. She said it was time I 
ought to be getting acquainted with some of 
the good people of the city. I'm not very am- 
bitious, if they're all like Mr. Smith. Some 
idea he's got of what love is ; and father makes 
so many mistakes. He simply can't learn the 
city ways and this is the first time we've invited 
in any society people. Well, it's too late now 
to talk about it — we'd might as — 

Enter Mr. Benson. 

Mr. Benson 

Mailed your letters, Ethel. Why, what's 
up, girl — be ye cleanin' house so soon? Don't 
think you'll last if you go over this house at 
that pace. 

Ethel 

We invited the Asterbilts for supper and 
we'd forgotten all about it till it was past the 
time they were supposed to be here. They're 
almost an hour late now. This is enough to 
give one nervous prostration. Maybe they're 
not coming, though. 

Mr. Benson 

By jinks, I hope they'll come. I was just 
[108] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

wonderin' the other day why we couldn't have 
in some of our neighbors and get acquainted a 
little. Why, we don't even know the people 
across the street from us. Out on the farm we 
knew people from six to twelve miles around. 

Enter Mrs. Benson. 

Mrs. Benson 

The maid says everything is ready. Wonder 
why they don't come or phone us. I wish they 
wouldn't come, now. Why, what will they 
think of us in these clothes ? 

Enter Walter. Hands Mrs. Benson a card. 
Mrs. Benson 

Reading. 

They're here, show them up, Walter. 
Walter 

I'm afraid I'm a poor butler. 

Exit. 

Mr. Benson 

I don't see what there is to worry about — 
your clothes are clean and neat. What more 
can they expect? By jinks, I don't let a little 
thing like that worry me. 

Enter Mr. and Mrs. Asterbilt, preceded by 
butler. 

[109] 



the little country theater 

Mrs. Benson 
Shaking hands with Mrs. Asterbilt who 
holds hand high for fashionable hand shake. 
How do you do, Mrs. Asterbilt. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
Good evening. 

Mrs. Benson 
I hope you'll excuse — 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
Interrupting. 
Mrs. Benson, my husband. 

Mr. Asterbilt 
Mrs. Benson, it gives me very great pleas- 
ure to make your acquaintance. 
Mrs. Asterbilt 
And I suppose this is your daughter. 
Shakes hands with her. 

Mr. Benson 
Yes, that's her. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
You're a very charming young lady. 

Mr. Asterbilt 
Shaking hands with Ethel. 
Indeed you're very charming, Miss Benson. 
[110] 






a bee in a drone's hive 

Mrs. Benson 

This is my husband, Mrs. Asterbilt 
Mr. Benson 

Makes a couple of attempts to shake hands 
with Mrs. Asterbilt and at last finding her 
hand f which is held high, pulls it down and 
gives real handshake. 

I'm so glad ter know you, Mrs. Asterbilt. 
{Shakes with Mr. Asterbilt.) How do ye do, 
Mr. Asterbilt. By jinks, I'm glad you folks 
come this evenin'. I was just tellin' Ethel as 
how we didn't know our next door neighbor 
here in town. Do ye know, Mr. Asterbilt, I 
don't think the town folks are near as sociable 
as us country folks. Won't ye take your wraps 
off and stay a whP.e? 

Mrs. Asterbilt 

Removing wraps, hands them to Walter, 
who wads them all up in his arms and drops 
Asterbilt' s hat. 

I'm so sorry we were unable to get here for 
dinner or to let you know. We fully intended 
to get here, but we went out auto riding in the 
country and were detained by a breakdown. 
When we arrived home and saw we were so 
[111] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

late, we took our dinner at the cafe before 
coming. I hope our delay hasn't put you to 
any great anxiety. Since we couldn't get here 
for dinner, we thought we would call for a 
while, rather than disappoint you completely. 

Exit butler with wraps. 

Mrs. Benson 

We're very glad you did, won't you be 
seated? 

Mr. Benson 

Indeed we're glad you have come. Anyone 
is welcome at our house any time. Don't you 
know people aren't so sociable as they uster be. 
Why, when I was a boy we either called on 
some of our neighbors, or they called on us 
every night of the week during the winter 
months. I've been noticin' as how the town 
folks don't call at all unless they're invited. By 
jinks, come to think about it, you folks are the 
first to come since we've been here, exceptin' 
one of our neighbors from the farm. 

Begins slowly to remove shoes. 
Mr. Asterbilt 

By the way, Mr. Benson, what is your opin- 
ion of the commission form of government 
[112] 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

this city is going to submit to the voters next 
election? You know some of the cities have 
already adopted it and it is promising to be- 
come quite popular. 

Mr. Benson 
Can't say as I know much about it. If it's 
anything like the commission the grain and 
stock buyers get, I don't think much of it. You 
see lots of those fellers getting rich while many 
of the farmers who haul their grain in to them 
are just barely holdin' their own. So they're 
wantin' to make a big thing outen the city peo- 
ple, too, are they? 

Mr. Asterbilt 
You have the wrong impression, Mr. Ben- 
son. This commission form of government 
consists of several committees of three men 
each and each committee has some special phase 
of city work to look after, such as streets, 
parks, public health, etc. 

Ethel 
Father, you'll have to be reading up a little, 
so you'll know which way to vote at the elec- 
tion. 

[113 1 



the little country theater 

Mr. Benson 
Rubbing his feet. 
Guess you're right, Ethel, 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
Miss Benson, I don't think I have seen you 
at any of the balls this winter— it must be that 
you haven't been introduced yet, for young 
ladies are in quite a demand. I believe you 
would be a very graceful dancer. 

Ethel 
I've been to a few social gatherings given by 
the young ladies' society of our church — we've 
had some real nice times. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 

Those will do for some people, I suppose, 
but you're charming enough to get into real 
society. I can give you the name of a fine 
dancing school where you can learn to dance 
in a very short time. They guarantee to get 
their pupils into society as soon as they have 
completed. 

Mr. Benson 

Has been rubbing his feet, now places them 
on the back of a chair. 

ni4i 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

These pavements just tear my feet to pieces 
every time I go for a walk. The cities talk 
about their improvements, why don't they 
cover their walks with rubber so as to save 
one's feet? I'd lots rather have an old cow 
path to walk on. 

Ethel 

Leaving room. 

Father, may I see you for a moment? 

Exit. 

Mr. Benson 

I'll be back in a moment, just go right on 
visitin'. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
Do you folks like the city life better than the 
country life? 

Mrs. Benson 
I can't say as we do — we miss our neighbors 

so. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 

You should get into society. We have some 
very cultured people in this city, with high 
social standings. Your daughter is good look- 
ing enough to marry a rich young man. You 
should give a ball in her honor. 
[115 1 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Enter Hiram Johnson. He looks around 
the room much awed by its splendor. 
Mrs. Benson 
Rises to meet him. 
Why, hello, Hiram. 

Hiram 
How do you do, Mary? Golly, but you 
have a swell home ! A feller told me this was 
where you lived so I walked right in without 
knocking. This is a swell room — don't you 
sorter feel like a snake in a bird's nest? 
Mrs. Benson 
How did you happen to come here ? 

Hiram 
I was just takin' a little vacation to see the 
sights. Many of our learned men get much of 
their education just traveling. 

Mrs. Benson 
Meet our company, Hiram. It's Mr. and 
Mrs. Asterbilt. 

Hiram 
Shaking hands in a friendly way. 
I'm glad to know any one whose friends to 
John and Mary. I knowed tl^ey would soon 
[116] 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

get acquainted when they came here, for 
they're so neighborly. 

Enter Mr. Benson with house slippers on. 

Mr. Benson 
By jinks, if it ain't Hiram. 
Exit Mrs. Benson. 

Hiram 

Crossing to Benson. 

Golly, John, you look like a house plant. I 
see right now that you'll have to get more sun- 
shine, or this here city life will get the best of 
you. How do you like the city life, anyway? 
Gee ! but such a room ! 

Mr. Benson 

The house is all right, but the life is pretty 
doggone dull. 

Hiram 
Just what I told your son, Harry. The 
conveniences are all right, but you're just as 
much out of place as a pump handle on an ice 
house. 

Mr. Benson 
I suppose it is the only life for those that is 
brought up that way. 

[117] 



the little country theater 

Hiram 
Sure, but it's just as hard for a farmer to 
get used to city ways as it is for a fish to get 
used to living on land. 
Enter Mrs. Benson. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
Mrs. Benson, I think we had better be 
going. 

Mrs. Benson 
Oh, you musn't go so soon — I have ordered 
a light lunch. 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
But we ought to be going, and then you'll 
want to be visiting with your neighbor. 
Hiram 
Don't let me be causing you to leave, the 
more the merrier. I wouldn't advise you to 
leave until after the lunch Mrs. Benson has 
prepared. She's the finest cook round,* they 
always calls on her to make the biscuits for 
the ladies' aid doin's at the church and picnics 
in the summer time. I'd advise you to stay. 
Mr. Asterbilt 
Mr. Johnson, I suppose you are taking a 
little vacation to get away from the monotony 
[118] 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

of the farm. It must be an awful dull place to 
spend one's life in. 

Hiram 

By golly, you couldn't pull me away from 
the farm with a train of cars. Why what have 
you got in the city that's pleasant? Ye haven't 
got anything but crowded streets and houses. 
Everything ye have is artificial. Why you talk 
about the monotony, I'd like to know where ye 
get any more than in the city. Why, every- 
thing in the city is always the same. Ye never 
have any change unless some one starts a fire 
to get some insurance and burns half the town 
down. Out in the country everything grows 
up new every spring and we have the pleasure 
of seein' nature at its great work. What's 
more pleasant than sowin' a little seed and 
watchin' hit go through all the stages till it 
gets to be a big plant? Why, look at these 
flowers — I bet John paid no less than a dollar 
a head for 'em. Out on the farm they will 
grow right in your own door yard. Ain't that 
right, John? 

Mr. Asterbilt 

That may be true, but what about your long 
winter? [119] 



the little country theater 

Hiram 

Why, what can be more beautiful than to see 
nature asleep and covered with a blanket of 
snow? Why, it makes ye have a feelin' ye can't 
explain. And, golly, the feelin' ye have when 
the sun begins removin' the blanket and all 
nature begins to wake up again. It makes ye 
feel like ye'd been asleep with it and was wakin' 
up with it and fresh for work. There's nothin' 
like it. Ain't that right, John? 

A maid enters carrying a tray full of large 
meat sandwiches. Maid 

Har your sanvitches bane vot yu vanted. 
Mrs. Benson 

Taking tray and offering them to Mrs. As- 
terbilt. 

Won't you have one? 

Mrs. Asterbilt 

No, thanks. Really, Mrs. Benson, we must 
be going. We have had a very delightful time. 
Will you ring for our cloaks ? 
Mrs. Benson 

Placing biscuits on table. 

I'm sorry you people have to leave so soon. 

Rings for Walter. 

[120] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Mrs. Asterbilt 
I hope we haven't inconvenienced you, Mrs. 
Benson, by our not being here for dinner. 
Mrs. Benson 
Oh no, not at all. We were only going to 
have some sausage and sour kraut. They're 
not as good as what we make on the farm, but 
I thought perhaps you'd like that better than 
anything. 

Enter Walter. Hiram takes a biscuit from 
tray and begins eating. 

Mrs. Benson 
Bring their wraps, Walter. 

Hiram 
Mary, you sure haven't forgot how to make 
those biscuits you used to make. 
Mrs. Benson 
But, Hiram, I didn't make them. We have 
a maid to do the work here. 
Mr. Benson 
Yes, and by jinks, we haven't had a good 
meal since. 

Hiram 
By golly, that's right, there isn't anything 
like home cookin'. Ye ought ter be back on 
[121] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

the farm where ye can have eggs and bakin' 
powder biscuits and honey for breakfast — a 
nice young fried rooster for dinner with good 
old white gravy, mashed potatoes, dressin' and 
dumplin's. 

Mr. Asterbilt 
Mr. Benson, here is my card. I'm running 
for commissioner of city improvement. Hope 
I may have your vote at the election. 
Mr. Benson 
If you are a Republican, you can count on it. 

Mr. Asterbilt 
Smiling. 

Politically, I am. 
Enter butler with wraps. 

Mrs. Benson 
Taking wraps and dismissing butler. Hands 
wraps to guests. 

Now that you've made a start, I hope you 
will come often. 

Mr. Benson 
Sure, drop in often, and don't wait for to be 
asked; ye're welcome any time. 
Mrs. Asterbilt 
Thank you very much. (To husband) Are 
[122] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

you ready? (Bowing to Mr. and Mrs. Ben- 
son.) Good evening. 

Exeunt Mrs. Asterbilt and Mrs. Benson. 

Mr. Asterbilt 
Shaking hands with Mr. Benson. 
Good night, Mr. Benson. 

Mr. Benson 
Good night. 

Mr. Asterbilt 
Good night, Mr. Johnson. I'm glad I met 
you. 

Hiram 
Same to you. Meetin' a new friend gives me 
as much joy as findin' a dollar bill in my pocket 
that I didn't know I had there. If ye ever get 
out my way drop in and see me. 

Exeunt Mr. Asterbilt and Mr. Benson. 
Enter Ethel. 

Ethel 
Well, if it isn't Hiram! What possessed 
you to come to the city? 

Hiram 
Just travelin' round a little. 

Ethel 

I didn't suppose you traveled very much. 

[123] 



the little country theater 

Hiram 

We didn't use to, but now we take a trip 
most every year back to oJd Ohio. Back to 
the old neighborhood where we were born and 
married. So ye haven't got married yet, have 
ye? Most birds finds a mate when they get 
full feathered. Looks like you'd be catchin' 
some of these rich city fellers. They could 
line yer nest with feathers. 
Ethel 

Oh yes, no doubt they could. How did you 
leave everybody at home? 
Hiram 

Just like a rose in July. Saw your brother 
Harry the day before I left. He sent a letter 
down for you. Said ter be sure and give it ter 
you and not let the folks see it. 
Ethel 

Opens letter and reads to self — then to 
Hiram. 

Oh, Hiram, listen to this. 

Enter Mr. and Mrs. Benson unobserved — 
stop and listen as Ethel reads. Ethel reading. 

I take it from your last letter, that the folks 
are out of place in the city and discontented. 
[124] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

I'm not surprised — in fact I looked for you to 
write and tell me before, but I suppose you 
thought I couldn't do anything. But listen, I 
can and I am. I have it all planned. Just 
across the road on the south quarter there is a 
piece of a building spot. I was talking with 
the carpenters yesterday and they said they 
would be able to start building the house next 
week. I have let them suffer as long as I can. 
Out here they won't have anything to do but 
to look after themselves and enjoy life where 
they know how. 

Mr. Benson 
By jingo and jumpin' John Rogers, I'm 
goin' to-morrow. Curtain. 

ACT II 

Scene: Picnic grounds in the country near Harry Benson's 
farm. Scene is at dinner-time on the picnic grounds. The 
band is heard playing in the distance. Ethel, Jennie, and 
Mrs. Benson are busy taking food from a large box. Mr. 
Benson is sitting on a spring buggy seat at one side of the 
stage. Toy balloon whistles can be heard at different 
intervals, some louder than others. Also auto horns tooting 
occasionally. 

Mrs. Benson 
While working. 

Ethel, I thought the pageant went just fine. 
Didn't you, Jennie? 

[125] 



the little country theater 

Jennie 
I certainly did. Ethel makes a mighty good 
milk-maid. That fellow in love with her 
seemed to think the same thing. 
Mr. Benson 
By jinks, it did me a lot of good to see her 
snub that city feller. 

Ethel 
I'm glad you all enjoyed it. It went better 
than we thought it would. 

Mrs. Benson 
How did you train that dog to walk across 
the stage like he did? 

Ethel 
We didn't — he walked across of his own 
accord. It fitted in the scene fine, but I could 
hardly keep from laughing. 

Mrs. Benson 
Well, I declare, it looked just like he was 
supposed to do it. (Looking in box) I can't 
find any salt or pepper. 

Auto horns toot in the distance. 

Jennie 
They're wrapped up in some white paper in 
one corner. 

[126] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Mrs. Benson 
Here they are. 
Unwraps and puts on table. 

Jennie 
Wonder what's keeping Harry. I saw him 
right after the game, and he said he'd be down 
in a little while. Which dish is the salad in, 
Ethel? 

Ethel 
It's in that large oval dish. 
Auto horn toots. 

Jennie 
Do you know what we forgot? We forgot 
the sugar for the lemonade. 
Mrs. Benson 
Dear me, now what are we to do? 

Ethel 
Do you remember I started to get it this 
morning when you asked me to whip the cream 
for the cake? I never thought of it again. 
Jennie 
I wonder if the Newtons would have any 
more than they want. 

Ethel 
I'll run up to where they are eating and see. 
[127] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Exit Ethel. Enter Harry in baseball suit. 
Harry 

My, but this shady place feels refreshing. 

Wow! Such a hypnotizing odor. Better 

watch me. I'm liable to go into a spell and eat 

the whole works. I feel like a starved wolf. 

Mr. Benson 

What's the matter with you fellers, Harry 
— didn't I hear you say our club had a better 
nine than the Lyon Club? 
Harry 

Can't expect to beat that umpire. We got 
another one for this afternoon's game and I'll 
bet they don't beat us then. That umpire this 
morning was absolutely "rotten." He called 
me out twice on second base and I was there a 
mile before the ball both times. Called Jones 
out on a home base and the catcher dropped 
the ball before he even touched him. We had 
to strike at everything that came along, for 
he'd call it a strike anyway. 
Jennie 

We hope you'll beat this afternoon. Are 
you too tired to get a pail of water from the 
spring? 

[128] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Harry 
Not if you will have dinner ready when I 
get back. 

Takes bucket on exit. 

Mr. Benson 
I wonder why Hiram and his wife ain't here 
to-day. They're generally along the first ones 
at a picnic. 

Mrs. Benson 
I was talking with her over the phone yester- 
day and she said they were coming. 
Mr. Benson 
Doesn't seem quite natural without Hiram 
around. 

Enter Ethel with Floyd. 
Ethel 
Opal, I brought Floyd down to play with 
you. 

Opal 
Jumping from swing clapping hands. 
Oh goodie, won't you swing me, Floyd? 

Ethel 
Here is lots of sugar. 

Jennie 
Good, Harry has gone after the water. 
[129] 



the little country theater 

Mrs. Benson 
I guess everything is all ready when he gets 
here. 

Enter Harry with water. 
Harry 
I feel just like a starved bear. If dinner 
isn't ready I'm going to jump in this bucket of 
water and drown myself. 

Ethel and Jennie busy making lemonade. 

Jennie 
All we'd need to do would be to pour in this 
juice and sugar (they do so) and you'd soon 
drink the pond dry. 

Harry 
Yes, and I'd do it so quick I wouldn't even 
get wet. 

Exit Opal and Floyd. 

Ethel 
If you people are hungry, get around here, 
it's all ready. 

Jennie 
Grandma, you and grandpa sit around here. 

Harry 
I'll sit close to the salad. 
Has lemonade on box close to him — every- 
[130] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

body takes seat, leaving two for Opal and 
Floyd and enough to set one more plate. 
Jennie 
I wonder where the children have gone to. 

Mrs. Benson 
I didn't see them leave. I expect they went 
up to play with the Smith children. 
Harry 
When you run dry on lemo, just hand your 
cups this way. Will you pass the buns, please? 
Jennie 
You ought not to be hungry after eating that 
big breakfast this morning. What do you 
think — he ate four eggs, six baking powder bis- 
cuits and about a cup full of syrup, to say noth- 
ing about potatoes. 

Harry 
Just the same I don't believe pa would ad- 
vise me to go to the city to cure my appetite, 
would you pa ? 

Mr. Benson 
I guess not, by jinks! We eat to live, so 
why not live where we have an appetite for 
what we eat? 

Enters Hiram smoking corn-cob pipe, 
[131] 



the little country theater 

Hiram 

Golly, but I'm just in time. 

Mr. Benson 
Hello, Hiram, come and have some dinner. 

Hiram 
Well, I never turn daon' a meal when I'm 
hungry. Got some of those good biscuits, 

Mary? 

Ethel prepares a place. 

Mrs. Benson 
We've got some biscuits, but I can't say as 
they're very good. 

Hiram 
Lays pipe at side of stage — takes seat at 
table. 

Wall, I can say it without ever tastin' them. 
John, I reckon ye can't say ye haven't had a 
good meal since you moved back ter the farm. 
I can't keep from talkin' about you movin' to 
the city. Ye thought everything was going to 
be honey, but it turned out ter be merlasses. 
Ain't I right, John? 

Mrs. Benson 
Where's Rachel, didn't she come? 
[132] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Hiram 
She woke up with a headache this morning. 
I wanted ter stay hum with her, but she made 
me come down for a while. There seems to be 
a large crowd here, to-day. 
Harry 
A very large crowd. I never saw the like of 
autos as were out to the game. 
Hiram 
John, what do you know about these fellers. 
Henry tells me they got beat. 
Harry 
The umpire played a fine game. 

Hiram 
That's what Henry was tellin' me, but I just 
laughed at him. Everybody hates to acknowl- 
edge they're whipped. John here even kinder 
hates ter say the city got the best of him. Of 
course, that's different then getting beat in a 
game. It wasn't any honor ter the city, but ye 
fellers were on equal footin' and both teams 
are used ter the grounds, while John here, he 
was on a strange diamond. We never had 
umpires when I was a boy, but we found plenty 
of other excuses for getting beat. 
[133] 



the little country theater 

Mr. Benson 
Harry says they're goin' to beat them this 
afternoon. 

Harry 
You two just watch us and see. We got a 
good umpire and we're going to beat them on 
equal footin' as you say. 

Enter Opal and Floyd, hold of hands — stop 
quick and stand looking. 

Jennie 
You children are rather late — here's your 
places around here between grandma and me. 
They take places at table, Jennie places bib 
around them. 

Where have you been? 
Floyd 
We went up to play with Ruth and Harold. 
They've got a swing fastened away up high 
and you can swing twice as far as you can with 
this one. 

Opal 
It almost took my breath away. 

Hiram 
The country's the place to raise children in. 
Here they have all the fresh air and good plain 
[134] 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

food ter make them grow. In the city they are 
all crowded up together in a bunch. Their 
fresh air is all filled with smoke. They have 
no place for the children to play exceptin' in the 
parks where they're so careful with their hay 
they have signs all around ter "keep off the 
grass." Why, we have to raise their food for 
them, but they don't get it until it's been in 
cold storage for a year or so or else canned. I 
tell ye people, God intended fer us ter live in 
the country — if He hadn't He'd made the city 
instead. Ain't that so, John? 
John 
I hadn't thought of it that way, but I guess 
you're right. 

Hiram 
Of course, I'm right. 

Floyd 
We're going back after dinner, ain't we, 
Opal? 

Opal 
Can we, mama? 

Jennie 
Oh maybe, if you'll not get in anybody's way 
and not get hurt. 

[135] 



the little country theater 

Opal and Floyd 
Oh, we won't. 

Harry 
Pass the salad, please. 

Hiram 
How was your play, Ethel? 

Ethel 
It went off very well. 

Hiram 
We were wantin' ter see it so bad — such a 
fine day for it, too. Do ye know we'd enjoy a 
doin's like that, where we know the actors, bet- 
ter than we would a play we'd have ter pay 
three or four dollars to see in the city? Ain't 
that right, John? 

John 
I guess you're right, I never saw anything 
better anywhere. 

Hiram 
Ethel, how about you? Do ye think ye'll 
ever be wantin' to move back? Rachel and I 
was just talkin' the other day about what a loss 
it would be ter the community if you married 
a city feller and moved out; we were just won- 
derin' if there were any on yer track. 
[136] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Mrs. Benson 
You don't need to worry. One rich feller 
tried it and he didn't get her. 
Ethel 
Mother, you shouldn't tell my little secrets. 

Floyd 
I'm ready to go. 
Begins leaving table. 

Opal 
So am I. 

Jennie 
Let me wipe your hands before you go. 
Wipes their hands and mouths. 

Floyd 
As he begins leaving stage before Opal is 
ready. 

Hurry up, Opal ! 

Opal 
I'm coming. {As they go skipping out.) 
Good-by, mama! 
Exeunt. 

Hiram 

Ain't that just like little tots? I tell ye, 

people, we don't appreciate being little till 

we're old. Did ye ever notice how older people 

[137] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

enjoy sittin' around talkin' about the things 
they did when they were little? Golly, but 
I'll never forget the time when I was about 
three years old and my mother started to walk 
over ter one of our neighbors that lived about 
a mile and er half from our place. We didn't 
get very far when I wanted ter be carried. 
Well, she couldn't carry me so fur so she goes 
and breaks a hazel brush for a stick-horse and 
gives it ter me ter ride. Wall, I can remember 
just as well as if it was yesterday, how I gets 
on that stick-horse and begun ridin', runnin' on 
ahead kickin' up my heels and runnin' side ways 
like a proud army horse. Then I'd get scared 
and go to rearin' and backin'. Then I run 
clear back again. 

Enters a little boy and begins fooling with 
swing. 

Well sir, I rode that stick-horse all the way 
over and back and never asked once to be car- 
ried again. Ye've got ter give a kid something 
to do if you don't want ter get into trouble. 

Give a kid something to do 

And he'll grow up, pure, noble and true. 

Ain't that right, John? 
[138] 






a bee in a drone's hive 

Mr. Benson 
I guess you're right, that's the way I was 
brought up. 

Ethel 
Speaking to boy at swing. 
Hello, little man, why don't you get in and 
swing ? 

He does so. 

Mr. Benson 
How's your cattle lookin' lately, Hiram? 

Hiram 
Fine, by golly, I never seen 'em grow so fast. 
I get 'em on that new field of bromus grass. 
They'll be in mighty fine shape to fatten this 
fall. 

Enters Leslie Lars en in band suit, carrying 
horn. 

Leslie 
Everybody seems to be happy. 

Harry 
Hello Leslie, going to play at the game this 
afternoon? We're going to beat 'em. 
Leslie 
We'll be right there, but I'm not so sure 
about the beating part since that game this 
morning. ^ 139 j 



the little country theater 

Jennie 
Had your dinner, Leslie ? 
Leslie 
Yes, we've been through half an hour. I 
was just going to the bowry. We're going to 
have a little concert before the speaking. 
Hl*RAM 

Who's the speaker to-day? 

Leslie 
Senator McDonald. I saw him coming this 
way before I started. I met him this morning. 
Seems like a fine fellow. 

Hiram 
John, why don't yer give 'em a talk on how 
to be happy in the city? 

Senator walks across rear of stage without 
noticing anyone. Leslie calls him. 
Leslie 
Mr. McDonald, come here a moment. 

Mr. McDonald 
Why hello, Mr. Larsen ! 
Leslie 
Mr. McDonald, this is the Benson family — 
one of our prominent farmers in this com- 
munity. 

[140] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Mr. McDonald 

People, I'm very glad to meet you. It does 
my heart good to get out and meet the tillers 
of the soil. I always consider it a great honor 
to have such a privilege as a day like this. I 
was out walking to get some fresh air before 
my talk. 

Hiram 

No place like the country for fresh air, ain't 
that right Senator? 

Mr. McDonald 
You're right. Hope you fellows will be at 
the speaking. I always like a large crowd. 

Mr. Benson 
You can count on our being there. 

Mr. McDonald 
Good! bring all your friends. I'll be walk- 
ing on. Good-by. 
Exit. 

Jennie 
If everyone has had enough, we'll spread the 
tablecloth over the table — we've got to eat 
supper here before we leave. 
Women arrange table. 
[141] 



the little country theater 

Leslie 
Well, I'll have to be going or I'll be late. 

Harry 
Guess I'll walk up with you. I guess the 
women will come together. 
Exeunt, 

Mr. Benson 
Hiram, you ought to order you a running 
water system and an electric light plant for 
your farm. They've got 'em down now so ye 
can't afford to be without 'em. 
Hiram 
John, are ye havin' a nightmare about the 
city? 

Mr. Benson 
By jinks, I'm speakin' my right mind. W© 
just sent in an order for an electric light plant. 
Harry says we can get a motor so small we 
can carry it around under our arms and can 
attach it to the wire any place and run our fan 
mills, pumps, grinders, washin' machines, in 
fact everything dependin' on the size of the 
motor. In the house you can take off a light 
bulb and attach a "lectric" iron and cooker, 
make it do the churnin' and sweepin', run the 
[142] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

sewin' machine, and even rock the cradle, be- 
sides havin' light all over yer buildin's without 
any danger of fire. 

Hiram 
Wall, I'll be goll durned. John, are ye sure 
ye haven't been drinkin' too much lemonade? 

Mr. Benson 
It's right. In the spring we're goin' ter git 
a runnin' water system made especially for the 
farm. Harry has had it all planned for over 
a year now. 

Hiram 
Wall, if that don't beat the cat's a fightin'. 
I knew that boy had the stuff in him when he 
planned that house for you and Mary. 

Jennie 
If you folks are going, you had better be 
coming along. 

Mr. Benson 
Looking at watch. 
By jinks, it is time we were going. 

Ethel 
I'll be there as soon as I find my fan. 
Exeunt all but Ethel. Enters Clarence un- 
[143] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

observed. Ethel looks through box and around 
for fan. 

Well, I'm sure I brought that fan along, I 
couldn't think of losing it, for it's one Clarence 
gave me before he went away to school and 
before we moved to the city. Well, that's 
funny — I know I couldn't have lost it on the 
way, and we — 

Clarence 

You don't need a fan in this cool place. 
Ethel 

Clarence ! You here ? 

Rises and takes him by the hand. 
Clarence 

Yes, I graduated last week — came home to 
settle down and do something. One feels 
mighty ambitious after going through college 
and wants to get right out and begin applying 
his knowledge and getting the practical experi- 
ence. But you? I thought you were in the 
city. Out for a visit, I suppose? 
Ethel 

Visit ! Why, the folks have moved back on 
the farm. Being the baby, I naturally had to 
come too. Of course, I hated to leave. 
[144] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Clarence 
I'm mighty glad to know your folks have 
moved back on the farm. Now that it won't 
be necessary for you to look after them so 
closely, I suppose you will soon be moving back 
and start your practical applications, there. 
Ethel 
Oh, maybe — things are mighty handy, you 
know. 

Clarence 
Lots of fine fellows there, too, I suppose ? 

Ethel 
Lots of them. The girls are scarce, too. 
Tell me about your college days. Suppose you 
graduated with high honors? 
Clarence 
Oh, no, no! Not many anyway. There 
was a lot — 

Enters Hiram, stops and listens. 
of things I wanted to get at the bottom of; so 
many things I was in doubt about. I was too 
busy to think of honors. I went in to prepare 
myself for higher honors to be won later in life 
and that shall be remembered and enjoyed by 
those that follow after me when I'm gone. 
[145] 



the little co'untry theater 

Hiram 
That's right, my boy. It ain't so much what 
you do in school as it is what ye get, and you 
do after ye get out. That's the time to do 
something. Look at Lincoln — he hardly seen 
the inside of a schoolhouse, but he studied and 
got something then went and done somethin'. 
He came from the farm, too. Pardon me, 
children, I left my pipe layin' there by this tree 
when I set down ter dinner. ( Takes pipe and 
lights, taking long, loud draws.) I'll be 
leavin', I know young folks like to be alone. 
Exit. 

Clarence 
I guess he didn't recognize me. Have I 
changed much, Ethel ? 

Ethel 
A little more mature in looks is all. 

Clarence 
Tell me about your life in the city, Ethel. 

Ethel 

I haven't much to tell — we had a fine house 

and servants, but the folks were out of place 

and didn't feel at home. You see they had 

lived in the country too long to get any comfort 

[146] 



A BEE IN A DRONE'S HIVE 

out of the city life — there isn't anything that 
seemed real to them. Mother didn't like to 
let on for she was the strongest advocate of 
going, and you couldn't blame her when she 
thought of all the* conveniences in the city. But 
even at that she had lived in the country too 
long to get any enjoyment out of the city. As 
for me, I'm young and can soon adapt myself 
to the new conditions in the city. Can't you 
imagine what a good city belle I would make? 
Clarence 

Ethel, you have been the best friend I ever 
had outside of mother and father and they're 
both gone. The reason I went away to school 
was the thought that I might some day be 
worthy and capable of making a home for you 
equal to the best found anywhere. I realize 
that the majority of farmers buy conveniences 
for themselves without realizing the conveni- 
ences their wives need in the house, so they 
have to go on in the same way their grand- 
mothers did. Ethel, you remember that last 
letter you wrote me, three years ago, I believe? 
Ethel 

Yes, and you never answered it. 
[147] 



the little country theater 

Clarence 

No. When you went away to the city you 
were young and I did not dare ask you to wait 
for me. Besides I thought it would be useless 
for you were thinking that when the time came 
you would marry a city fellow who could offer 
you a home without the drudgery some women 
have on the farm. In that last letter, you were 
telling me about a certain rich man. Well, I 
knew your youthful dream had come true. I 
didn't want to stand in your way. I knew you 
were old enough to know what you wanted, so 
I didn't write. Ethel, I almost gave up then, 
and I don't know but what I would had it not 
been for my roommate, noble old chap. He 
got me started right again. Ethel, I hope you 
will be happy in the city. 

Rises and crosses stage. 

Ethel 
I did write about a certain young man, but — 

Clarence 
But what? 

Ethel 
I didn't think you would take it so seriously. 

[148] 



a bee in a drone's hive 

Clarence 
You mean to say — 

Ethel 
That I was only teasing you about the city. 

Clarence 
Then you're not — 
Takes her hand. 

Ethel 
Not if I can help it. How about that home 
you were dreaming about? 
Clarence 
It's yours, Ethel, and it's going to be the 
very best {embrace). 

Embrace. Enter Hiram and Mr. Benson. 
Stop short on seeing Ethel and Clarence in each 
other's arms. 

Mr. Benson 
Harshly. 
Ethel! 
Ethel and Clarence separate embarrassed. 

Clarence 
Going up and taking Mr. Benson by thei 
hand. 

Mr. Benson, I know this is no way to be 
caught with your daughter, but since it couldn't 
[149] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

be helped I suppose the only way to get around 
it will be for you to give your consent to marry 
her. 

Mr. Benson 

Are you going to live on the farm? 
Clarence 

Would you advise me to? 
Mr. Benson 

By jinks, you can't have her unless you do. 

Clarence crosses and puts arm around Ethel. 
Hiram 

By golly, it does me good to see the cream of 
the country come pourin' back again. Don't 
you know some of our greatest men like Lin- 
coln and Washington, come from the farm? 
They'd all like to have gotten back again but 
they were so tied up in the world they couldn't 
break loose. The cities are all right in a way, 
and I suppose we couldn't get along without 
them now, but, by golly, there would never 
have been a city if it hadn't been for the coun- 
try. Why, I can remember when all the young 
men that wanted to do something worth while 
went to the cities and left the very poorest fel- 
lows at home. And the old fellows when they 
[150] 



A BEE IN A DRONE S HIVE 

got enough money they moved ter the city and 
spent their money there. By golly, that's 
right, ain't it, John? 

Mr. Benson 

I guess you're right, Hiram. 
Hiram 

Of course, I'm right. By golly, it sure does 
me good ter see the change coming where the 
best people of the country stay on the farm in- 
stead of movin' ter the city where they're just 
as much out of place as "A Bee in a Drone's 
Hive." 

Author of play — Cecil Baker. 

Curtain. 



[151] 



LARIMORE 



LARIMORE 

SOMEBODY once said a pageant was a 
big outdoor play in which people in 
everyday walks of life — John and Joe 
and Susan — take an active part and tell the 
story of what happened in the neighborhood, 
county, or state in their own manner. It is 
something that might be called a human fes- 
tival, because the people young and old and 
even "the animals, the oxen and the horse, the 
donkey and the dog" all take part. 

This particular kind of a play was especially 
well portrayed in "The Story of Grand Forks 
County," a historical pageant in five episodes, 
which was presented in the little town of Lari- 
more on June second, nineteen hundred and 
twenty. Thirty different communities, working 
in cooperation and under the direction of a 
central committee, selected the material, 
[155] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

dramatized the events, and acted the parts. 
One thousand persons, ranging in age from a 
seven-months-old baby to a white-haired man 
of sixty-five were the players. Schools, 
churches, clubs, bands, choruses, and various 
other social agencies contributed their enthusi- 
asm and energies in making the spectacle a 
success. Ten thousand people saw the produc- 
tion. Eleven hundred automobiles were parked 
on the grounds, and this did not include those 
standing in rows in the center of down-town 
streets. 

Larimore, after all, isn't such a big town, 
but it is a mighty interesting place. Its popula- 
tion is made up of people who appreciate the 
big things in life. And when a worth-while 
thing comes along they put their shoulders to 
the wheel and — well they make whatever it is 
go. They showed their mettle when they built 
the stage for the pageant in a corner of their 
newly laid-out park. For several days, some- 
times in the morning as early as five o'clock, 
the men in the community were up and at work. 
They used ice tongs to carry the four hundred 
bridge planks, which, by the way, were eighteen 
[156] 



L ARIMORE 

feet long, twelve inches wide, and four inches 
thick. They borrowed these from the county 
commissioners and constructed a huge platform 
seventy-two feet in width and thirty-six feet in 
depth. The background was one hundred and 
fifty-six feet long and twenty feet in height. 
There were two wings, fourteen and sixteen 
feet high respectively, on each side. All of 
these were covered with branches of trees cut 
and hauled on hayracks from a nearby brook. 
In the center of the background rows of seats 
were built in the shape of a tree which held a 
chorus of two hundred girls, robed in pure 
white. They came from different sections of 
the county and sang during the interludes. The 
seats were arranged in amphitheater style. At 
each corner a band was stationed. Tents 
pitched back of the stage were used for dress- 
ing rooms. The stage manager happened to 
be a local auto taxi owner. 

June second was an ideal day. At two 
o'clock in the afternoon the buglers announced 
the opening of "The Story of Grand Forks 
County," a historical pageant in five episodes. 
Then came the procession of the bands and a 
[157] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

chorus. The prologue or story of the play 
followed. It was written by one schoolmaster 
and given by another. It is well worth quoting, 
for it not only shows a fine poetic temperament 
but tells the history of one of America's finest 
agricultural counties. 

"Friends, we have gathered here beneath the 

vaulted sky, 
In God's great out-of-doors, where nature 

greets the eye, 
With grass and trees and flowers — we've 

gathered here to stage 
The story of our County down to the present 

age. 
In song and dance and tableau its history will 

be told; 
In interludes and episodes our pageant will 

unfold. 
We journey back in fancy a span of fifty years, 
Back to the days of Indians and hardy 

pioneers. 
Here waves a sea of prairie grass upon the 

endless plain; 
Here lies a pile of whitening bones that mark 

the bison's reign. 
Within a fringe of forest green that skirts a 

river's flow, 

[158] 



L ARI MORE 

The Indians are breaking camp — 'tis time for 

them to go. 
'The white man comes,' the scouts report, 'our 

hunting here is done, 
The white man comes and we must go, on 

towards the setting sun.' 

"As night comes on and in the west the sun 

sets for the day, 
Full slowly up the valley an ox-team weaves 

its way. 
It draws a covered wagon. On the driver's 

seat a man, 
His head turned back, is speaking to a woman 

in the van ; 
'Look, Mary, there*s a likely spot in yonder 

grove of trees, 
There's water, fuel, fish, and game; the grass 

comes to my knees ; 
The land is fertile, level, smooth — what need 

to farther roam? 
Come let us halt in this fair place and build 

ourselves a home.' 
Thus did they come, our pioneers, brave hus- 
band, braver wife, 
Heroic souls that sang and worked and asked 

no odds of life. 
So friends, to-day, the picture that first will 

meet our sight, 

[159] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Is the leaving of the red man and the coming 

of the white. 
The world is restless, craves to move, and 

therefore mankind feels 
A deep abiding gratitude to the man who first 

made wheels. 
The great improvements made in wheels, the 

constant evolution 
From wagon down to motor car has caused a 

revolution, 
Affecting every phase of life, our business and 

our pleasure, 
And proved itself in countless ways a blessing 

beyond measure. 
It was a happy day indeed when on the frontier 

trails 
The pioneers beheld the sight of shining iron 

rails, 
That spelled the end of grueling trips to market 

by ox-team, 
And heralded the coming of their greatest 

ally — steam. 
When now the growth and progress of trans- 
portation's shown, 
It will explain one reason why prosperity has 

grown. 

"Year after year more settlers came, each year 
more fields* were, tilled, 
[160] 



L ARIM O R E 

And lavish Nature blessed their work, their 

granaries were filled 
With golden wheat and other grains; their 

herds of cattle grew; 
They prospered greatly and progressed and 

those who failed were few. 
Then one by one the towns sprang up, with 

smithy, bank, and store, 
With elevator, mill, and yard, and markets at 

their door. 
The towns and farms worked hand in hand, 

theirs was a common cause. 
And from the start unto this day, advancing 

without pause, 
Our industries have grown apace, have made 

our County great — 
Till it is known both far and wide the banner 

of the State. 

"The greatest factor in the growth of county, 

state, or nation, 
No thing is dearer to our hearts than is the 

common school, 
What makes for happiness and peace is public 

education ; 
For well we know that it must be if liberty 

shall rule. 
Our fathers when they came built schools, 

albeit they were rude, 
[161] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Judged by our standards, poorly taught, ill- 
disciplined, and crude. 
These schools did foster splendid men and 

noble women too; 
And from that small beginning our present 

system grew. 
Our pageant here will show to you how we 

have forged ahead, 
How in the work of betterment our schools 

have always led. 
Yet, we can not be satisfied with that which 

we have done> 
For after all our Schools' advance is only 

well begun. 

"Whence came these men who wrought these 
deeds? What land did give them birth? 

They came from distant lands and climes, 
from far across the earth. 

The Frenchman came; the Irishman; the 
German, Scotch, and Norse; 

And every mother's son of them, a man of 
strength and force, 

That threw himself into the work with hands 
and heart and brain, 

That labored for our Country's weal with all 
his might and main, 

Their children, born beneath our flag and fos- 
tered in our schools, 
[162] 



L ARI MORE 

Hold for the land of liberty a love that never 

cools ; 
They all are real Americans — Americans 

through and through 
They stand for order, law, and right, for all 

that's good and true. 
So in this pageant of to-day as episodes unfold 
The marvels of our progress ; as our wondrous 

growth is told, 
All is centered round the people ; 'tis their story 

we portray, 
For the people made the County what the 

County is to-day." 

G. T. Almen. 

After the prologue, the five episodes and in- 
terludes were enacted in a manner highly satis- 
factory to the ten thousand spectators. Real 
Indians, dog and pony travois, an old prairie 
schooner, a sod shanty, the Red River ox-cart, 
the first railroad engine to enter the county, a 
stage coach of pioneer days, the cradle, the 
reaper, the old breaking plow, the one room 
school house, the different peoples from foreign 
countries who settled in the county, added in- 
terest and gave color to the pageant. The chil- 
dren from the different schools in the county 
were costumed to represent the different grains, 
[163] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

the prairie roses and the violets, the straw- 
berries and the potatoes. One set of girls in- 
terpreted an original wind dance. A boys' 
band, a business men's band, a farmers' band, 
and a chorus furnished the music. 

The final tableau or scene was a magnificent 
sight, something that will never be forgotten. 
In the center of the forest background on tiers 
of raised seats, two hundred girls clad in white 
were standing. Above them the Stars and 
Stripes were floating. Down on the stage, a 
thousand players, real country people, were 
grouped. On the ground and in a circle ten 
thousand people were standing. The bands 
were playing and everybody was singing "The 
Star-Spangled Banner." 

One who stood there and looked at it all 
could not help but think what tremendous op- 
portunities there are out on these prairies, if 
only the people can find their true expression. 
As a certain person who was very active in mak- 
ing it a success said, "What shall we say of it? 
What shall be the future?" The joy of self- 
expression is a supreme one. "I was in it." "I 
made a poster." "We made the violet cos- 
[164] 



L A R I M O R E 

tumes." "Our dog hauled the wigwam" — in 
fact, "I helped," these are the words on every 
lip. Truly it was a pageant "of the people, 
by the people, for the people," with none too 
great nor too small to participate. 

For everyone it has meant a great lesson in 
patriotism and cooperation. For each com- 
munity in the county it means a refreshing 
social contact and an unselfish interest in local 
affairs. It means the creating of pure and 
wholesome pleasure, rather than the purchas- 
ing of that which is often doubtful. It means 
the discovery of much hidden talent. For the 
individual it means greater development of 
social consciousness, a broader and deeper ap- 
preciation of his brother and friend, a desire 
not only to do something for himself but to 
help someone else. And this is the real gospel 
of America to-day, the flower of service, which 
with the aid of stirring imagination will de- 
velop into one of everlasting sweetness and 
beauty. 

Up in Grand Forks County they have a 
county superintendent with a vision, one who 
not only sees but organizes and does the things. 
[165] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

The pageant did what she dreamed it would do. 
It brought into play all the talent of the county. 
The art of the people was expressed through 
the setting, the costumes, the posters, and the 
light effects; the music, through song and in- 
strument; the organizing power through pro- 
motion, seating arrangement, rehearsal, and 
presentation; the mechanical genius through 
the stage construction; and the literary ability 
through the gathering, the arranging, and the 
writing of the subject matter. 

When all these faculties are brought into ex- 
ercise, they cannot help but arouse the creative 
instincts in the mind of the county or the com- 
munity. They appeal to the heart instincts. 
This is one of the pageant's great values to 
society. 



[166] 



FORTY TOWNS 



FORTY TOWNS 

IN order to feel the pulse of the people of 
the state in regard to their attitude toward 
plays, as well as to carry the drama to the 
people, a road tour of forty towns was made. 
Twenty-two counties were visited. The play 
selected for this trip was "Back to the Farm," 
written by Merline Shumway, a former student 
at the Minnesota Agricultural College. It is a 
three-act rural comedy. The 'central thought 
running through the play is the old way of do- 
ing things on the farm versus the new method. 
It appeals to all classes of people and especially 
to those who have tilled the soil. One farmer 
said it was the best thing he had ever seen. An- 
other told his friends that " 'Back to the 
Farm' had 'The Birth of a Nation' skun a 
mile." They were both right, because to them 
the play came out of the soil. 
[169] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

A cast of eight characters was taken on the 
tour. They were given twenty-five dollars a 
week and their railroad fares. In the evening 
they presented the play and during the day 
made a brief social survey of every community 
visited. For instance, one young man would 
go to the livery stable or garage and find out 
something about the roads in the surrounding 
community. Naturally, roads have something 
to do with people getting together. Another 
would measure the size of village halls, the as- 
sembly rooms in schoolhouses, the basements 
of churches, empty country stores, and lodge 
rooms — in fact, any place where people assem- 
bled. Listing musical activities in the town 
was the duty of one member of the cast. Still 
another looked up everything he could find 
about athletics in the different places. The 
various clubs, organizations, and societies in 
the town were tabulated by one young man. 
The three ladies in the cast ascertained the 
number of festivals, pageants, home talent 
plays, programs, games, folk dances, library 
facilities, and newspapers. All of these facts, 
combined with other data obtained before and 
[170] 



FORTY TOWNS 

since then, make a splendid social diagnosis of 
certain phases of country life in North Dakota. 
They give one an insight into the activities of 
country folks out on a prairie. Many interest- 
ing conditions were revealed by the survey and 
knowledge gained elsewhere. 

As a rule the roads are good. Travel in the 
late spring, summer, and fall is comparatively 
easy. In the winter it is more difficult, just as 
it is in any state. In some places the roads are 
graded ten, fifteen, and twenty miles out from 
a center. The prairie or grass road is fre- 
quently used to save time. It is not an uncom- 
mon occurrence for parties to drive twenty and 
thirty miles to attend a picnic, a play or a social 
function of some kind. Even in the winter and 
early spring the snow and "gumbo" do not stop 
them from attending social activities. Auto- 
mobiles average from one to three to a section 
of land. Means of communication are con- 
stantly improving. Inasmuch as the homes in 
the country in the state are far apart, due to 
the present large acreage of the farms, the 
roads are an important factor in developing 
the social life in the country districts. 
[171] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

Practically every community possesses some 
sort of a hall or a meeting place. In size they 
accommodate, so far as the seating arrange- 
ment is concerned, from one to six hundred per- 
sons. In the forty towns visited, four had halls 
with a seating capacity of less than one hun- 
dred and fifty, fifteen with two hundred, twelve 
with three hundred, five with four hundred and 
four with six hundred and over. The seats 
were not stationary, the halls being used for 
other purposes. For the most part they con- 
sisted of folding chairs, kitchen chairs, boxes, 
saw-horses, and barn floor planks. The stages 
were small and the scenery scarce. In several 
places one could stand on the stage, and touch 
the ceiling with his hands. The front curtains 
were usually roll curtains and covered with ad- 
vertising. Very few stages had a set of scenery. 
Oil and acetylene lamps furnished the necessary 
light. Barn lanterns were not uncommon. Oc- 
casionally some enterprising community would 
have electricity. In one village hall electric 
light bulbs were set in large tomato cans 
which were cut down on one side. These served 
as footlights. Automobile head lights facing 
[172 1 



FORTY TOWNS 

toward the stage quite frequently gave the nec- 
essary light. Plumbers' candles were some- 
times used. Dressing room facilities were gen- 
erally lacking. Sometimes a ladder was 
placed at the back window near the stage and 
the characters in the play who found it neces- 
sary to change their make-up would climb out 
on the ladder and go down in the basement be- 
tween acts and make the necessary adjustments. 
Screens, blankets, and sheets pinned across the 
back corners of the stage make a good im- 
promptu stage dressing room. Several of the 
halls had excellent dining rooms in connection 
with them. All the buildings were used for 
many different community activities. Most of 
them lacked good architecture, simply because 
the agencies in education had never taken 
enough interest in planning community build- 
ings for country districts. The present ten- 
dency in consolidated schools is to install stages, 
platforms, and gymnasiums, in order to make 
them available for every activity characteristic 
of community life. A great many of the com- 
munities had splendid well arranged halls. 
The musical survey showed that in districts 
[173] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

where the people were of foreign descent all 
kinds of music thrived. The majority of the 
places had the talent, but not the leadership 
and the organization. Music in the schools 
was fairly well developed. Dance orchestras 
were popular. One town had a good orchestra, 
a fine band, and a glee club. Another had just 
a band of fifteen pieces. Victrolas were popu- 
lar and in use in every school for games and 
folk dances. An interesting feature of the dif- 
ferent kinds of music was the popularity of the 
violin. Every orchestra was blessed with this 
particular kind of a string instrument. 

So far as clubs and organizations are con- 
cerned, every community has plenty of them. 
Some of them are very active and broad- 
minded, as well as farseeing in their work. 
Others are petty in their attitude and inclined 
to do very little. Many duplicate each other's 
work. Where there is leadership, the organiz- 
ations are alert and perform many valuable 
acts of service. 

Athletic activities in the various towns and 
country districts are extremely popular with 
both the young and the old. Baseball is gen- 
[174] 



FORTY TOWNS 

erally played at twilight, between sevea-thirty 
and nine-thirty in the evening. Basketball 
tournaments in consolidated school districts at- 
tract considerable attention. Field days at 
farmers' picnics create an unusual interest. 

County play days in which all the children in 
the county meet at some particular place and 
participate in games, folk dances, parades, and 
pageants have become an integral part of the 
social life of the state. Out of the fifty-three 
counties in the state over thirty-five have play 
days. From two to ten thousand people at- 
tend these annual affairs. 

The attitude of the weekly papers toward 
social functions and public programs is excel- 
lent. Space is freely given. The library fa- 
cilities for furnishing data for presentation on 
public programs are not good, due primarily to 
lack of material and funds with which to pur- 
chase it. The possibilities for library work in 
the country districts in the state and even other 
states are infinite. Thousands of letters be- 
sides the survey of the forty towns attest this 
fact. 

Hundreds of plays are presented in the state 
[175] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

every year. Home talent plays are generally 
greeted with great crowds everywhere. Every- 
body "likes 'em." Operettas are popular be- 
cause large casts of characters are necessary to 
produce them. And besides everybody likes to 
see his offspring, relative, or friend take part. 
It is human nature to see what is in a person. 
The audiences are always enthusiastic and ap- 
preciative. The repertoire consists of com- 
edies, classical plays, Christmas festivals, pan- 
tomimes, operettas, and May fetes. The com- 
munity without a play is one without a" leader. 
In a great many towns and rural districts the 
play, the picnic, and the' Christmas festival are 
annual affairs. It is doubtful whether anything 
proves so popular with the vast majority of 
people as a real play staged by honest-to-good- 
ness country folks. It also unconsciously brings 
out a spirit of leadership. 

These few facts which were gathered by the 
cast during the day, coupled with other infor- 
mation secured before and after the tour, tell 
one something, perhaps not much, about the 
social life of country people in a prairie state. 

The experiences encountered during the 
[176] 



FORTY TOWNS 

forty-day sojourn were interesting, to say the 
least. The audiences ranged in size from 
twenty-six persons to seven hundred. A county 
fair or circus admission of fifty cents for adults 
and twenty-five for children was charged. 
Sometimes the audiences were made up of cow- 
boys, or cow-punchers, as the Westerners say. 
In one community two hundred sheep herders 
saw the play. In another, lignite coal miners 
and their families witnessed the production. 
For the most part the halls were filled with 
wheat growers and dairymen and their kin. 
With a few possible exceptions the crowds were 
rural in their complexion. Out in the extreme 
western part of the state the lights balked and 
the play never started until nine forty-five in 
the evening. In one town a thirteen dollar and 
fifty cent crowd enjoyed the comedy. It was 
necessary to purchase a bolt of chocolate col- 
ored cambric in another place, because only one 
screen could be found in the whole community. 
The cambric was used as a background and the 
screen for a left wing. The back of a piano 
with the American flag drooped over it served 
as the right wing. Old-fashioned acetylene 
[177] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

lamps gave the necessary light. A large dry 
goods box was used for a ticket stand. Planks 
resting on saw horses satisfied the crowd so far 
as a seating arrangement was concerned. 
Social functions frequently followed the pres- 
entation of the play. After paying all ex- 
penses, the profits on the forty town road tour 
amounted to six dollars and sixty-seven cents. 
The tour showed that people actually like 
plays. It carried the drama to the people. 



[178] 



COLD SPRING HOLLOW 



COLD SPRING HOLLOW 

A LITTLE over a year ago it was my good 
fortune to spend several days in Berk- 
ley County, West Virginia. "Tepee, " 
a jovial and good natured fellow and myself 
were in a camp out three miles from historic 
Martinsburg. The place was not so very far 
from the Maryland border. The festival chosen 
was "The Ingathering," a story about America, 
in which food for humanity was the central 
theme. The characters were the country youth 
from those West Virginia hills. The site se- 
lected was Cold Spring Hollow near Opequan 
Creek. It was a beautiful spot in a little valley 
on Uncle Nat's farm. On the hillsides which 
rose right and left from* the hollow, there were 
many stately pines. A spring in the upper part 
of the valley kept the grass green and furnished 
many a refreshing drink. 
[1811 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

The scene of the story of "The Ingather- 
ing" is laid in the Garden of Freedom where 
the Altar of Liberty is concealed. Mother 
Earth is escorted through a field of golden 
grain to the Garden. Here she stops and tells 
her escort that the Holy Earth has a soul and 
that through the ages her friends have been, 
Story, Art, and Song and that the elements of 
nature when the seasons were made selected 
Autumn as the most beautiful of all. The 
Spirit of Autumn, arrayed in all the colors 
characteristic of that season, moves about the 
field with graceful rhythm. Story then comes 
running through the field into the Garden of 
Freedom and tells Mother Earth that her chil- 
dren, representing many different races, are 
coming in search of the Altar of Liberty. They 
enter the field talking, though they do not un- 
derstand each other. They babble. As they 
approach the Garden she halts them, asks them 
to be seated and gives Story a basket of bread 
that they may have food to eat. Mother Earth 
realizes that when people break bread with 
each other they not only understand each other 
better, but they also exemplify the noblest vir- 
[182] 



COLD SPRING HOLLOW 

tues of mankind — sacrifice and charity. Story 
then tells Mother Earth that people since time 
immemorial have commemorated the ingather- 
ing of food. Art comes and teaches the races 
many games and frolics with them. In the 
distance Song is heard. She enters and suc- 
ceeds in getting all these people singing to- 
gether. Mother Earth beckons Story, Art, 
and Song to bring all these people to the Gar- 
den of Freedom. They come and kneel with 
hands outstretched. For a moment darkness 
reigns everywhere. Story, Art, and Song un- 
cover what these children for generations have 
been praying for. Light again appears and be- 
fore their eyes the Altar of Liberty is seen in 
the Garden of Freedom which is located in the 
land called America. 

The Altar of Liberty was constructed out of 
poles and evergreens cut from the nearby 
woods. Joe and Jim, two country lads, were 
the architects and builders. Joe was fat and 
chubby and about as large around as an apple 
barrel. He had a pair of merry blue eyes and 
everybody liked him. One day after the re- 
hearsal, when we were laying out the frame 
[183 1 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATEK 

work of the altar with poles, I said, <f J oe > don" 
you think you had better get a saw and cut the 
ends of these poles straight so they'll stand 
erect?" Joe looked at me and said, ''Don't 
you think I can cut them?" He was standing 
with his hand and foot resting on the handle 
and blade of a wood chopper's ax. When told 
he might try, he raised the ax over his shoulder 
and with several strokes cut the pole off as 
straight and clean as any first-class carpenter 
would have sawed it. After that day when 
anybody saw Joe carrying an ax around the 
camp they would follow him, because they 
knew Joe was an expert woodsman. Jim, his 
pal, was lean, had brown eyes, and was some- 
what rough spoken. But Jim could drive 
twenty penny spikes. His aim was true. Of 
the many he drove he never missed a head. 
The construction of the Altar of Liberty was 
the medium through which Joe and Jim got in- 
terested in the festival. 

The evening it was presented the automo- 
biles which usually furnished the lights were 
not there. The hilly roads prevented their 
coming down into the valley. Some other kind 
[184 J 



COLD SPRING HOLLOW 

of light had had to be found. One day during 
the week a fourteen-year-old boy had been seen 
scratching a match on the edge of a tin can 
cover. When asked what made the flame he 
said it was pitch. After a few trials as to its 
light power, the lads were sent up into the 
woods to get all they could find. They brought 
back large quantities. Chunks of pitch as large 
as your fists were placed on flat pieces of lime- 
stone near the altar. These natural footlights 
with a huge bonfire furnished all the light nec- 
essary for the production. A small organ, 
about the size of three suit-cases placed on top 
of each other, was used for the musical effects. 
The audience was made up of about a hundred 
and twenty-five country people. They were 
seated on peach crates, buggy seats, camp 
stools, horse blankets, and checkered bed quilts. 
The evening the festival was presented was 
an ideal one. The air was cool and crisp. The 
stars were out. In the distance Opequan 
Creek could be heard. The scene was a most 
impressive one. Evergreen boughs laid on the 
ground in the form of a circle separated the 
audience from those who took part in the play. 
[185] 



THE LITTLE COUNTRY THEATER 

At the right and up the hill a little way the 
organ could be heard at intervals. The most 
beautiful part of it all was near the end of the 
festival when the reflection of the lights on the 
flat stones showed the ensemble of the char- 
acters. They were kneeling in the Garden of 
Freedom with their hands outstretched toward 
the Altar of Liberty singing — 

"Our fathers' God, to Thee, 
Author of Liberty 

To Thee we sing; 
Long may our land be bright 
With freedom's holy light; 
Protect us by Thy might, 

Great God, our King!" 

The effect was thrilling. In a valley in the 
foothills of West Virginia a group of country 
people were not only finding themselves, but 
they were also expressing a great American 
ideal. 

The message of The Little Country Theater 
— to help people find their true expression in 
the community in which they live — was car- 
ried beyond the golden stubbled field of the 
land of the Dacotahs into the heart of the hills 

of West Virginia. 

[186] 



Knowledge is of two kinds — We know a subject ourselves 
or we know where we can find information upon it. 

Samuel Johnson. 



APPENDICES 



He reads much. He is a great observer, and he looks 
quite through the deeds of men. 

Shakespeare. 

[187] 



In order to give the reader of this narrative on The Little 
Country Theater an insight into the hidden possibilities for 
the development of a life in both town and country, a life 
with more color and romance, a select list of reading 
materials is given. Aside from the program material 
sources, a careful reading of such books as The Holy Earth, 
by Liberty Bailey; Three Acres and Liberty, by Bolton Hall; 
The Fairviezv Idea, by Herbert Quick; The Village, by 
Ernest Poole ; The Farmer and The New Day, by Kenyon 
Butterfield, and scores of other books cannot help but 
broaden one's outlook upon life. A reading taste could easily 
be developed in this and other countries if every community, 
regardless of its size, would place a book shelf containing 
interesting literature in the country store, village post office, 
community hall, school house, or somebody's home. A few 
dollars, say fifteen or twenty-five would be a sufficient 
fund *to begin the reading circle. The school master, 
especially the county superintendent, would soon see a 
changed attitude and a renewed interest in education. The 
grown-ups, the folks whose school days are no more, as well 
as the school children would, if a library bookshelf was 
placed in every hamlet, be given an opportunity to spend 
at least a part of their leisure time, with pleasure and profit. 
Good books are good friends. Reading one is like visiting 
somebody you haven't seen in a long while. The author 
dedicates the several pages left to those who want to read 
that they may know. 



[189] 



APPENDIX A 

Select list of suitable reference material — General References, 
Country Life, Suggested Lists of Plays, Presentation of Plays, 
Promotion of Plays. 

GENERAL REFERENCES 

Ancient Art and Ritual — Jane Ellen Harrison. Publisher, 
Henry Holt and Company, New York City, New York. 

Book of Days, The — R. Chambers. Publisher, W. and R. 
Chambers, London, England. 

Dramas and Dramatic Dances — William Ridgeway. Pub- 
lisher, Cambridge University Press, London, England. 

Drama of Savage People, The — Loomis Havemeyer. Pub- 
lisher, Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut. 

Fine Arts, The—G, Baldwin Brown. Publisher, Charles 
Scribner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

Golden Bough, The—]. G. Frazer. Publisher, The Macmil- 
lan Company, New York City, New York. 

Play of Man, The — Karl Groos. Publisher, D. Appleton and 
Company, New York City, New York. 

Amateur and Educational Dramatics — Evelyne Hillard, Theo- 
dora McCormick, Kate Oglebay. Publisher, The Mac- 
millan Company, New York City, New York. 

Art Theater, The— Sheldon Cheney. Publisher, Alfred A. 
Knopf, New York City, New York. 

Book of Marionettes, A — Helen Haiman Joseph. Publisher, 
B. W. Huebsch, New York City, New York. 

Chief Contemporary Dramatists — Thomas Dickinson. Pub- 
lisher, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Civic Theater, The — Percy Mackaye. Publisher, Mitchell 
Kennerley, New York City, New York. 

[191] 



APPENDIX 

Community Theater, The — Louise Burleigh. Publisher, Little, 
Brown and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Drama, The— Alfred* Bates. Publisher, The Athenian So- 
ciety, London, England. 

Drama League Series of Plays, The — Publisher, Doubleday, 
Page and Company, New York City, New York. 

History of the Theater in America, A — Arthur Hornblow. 
Publisher, J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Insurgent Theater, The — Thomas Dickinson. Publisher, B. 
W. Huebsch, New York City, New York. 

Life and Art of Edwin Booth — William Winter. Publisher, 
The Macmillan Company, New York City, New York. 

Life and Art of Joseph Jefferson — William Winter. Pub- 
lisher, The Macmillan Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Masterpieces of Modern Drama, The — John Alexander 
Pierce and Brander Matthews. Publisher, Doubleday, 
Page and Company, New York City, New York. 

Mediaeval Stage, The—E. K. Chambers. Publisher, A. C. 
McClurg and Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Neighborhood Entertainments — Renee B. Stern. Publisher, 
Sturgis and Walton Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Our American Holidays — Robert Haven Schauffler, Publisher, 
Moffat, Yard and Company, New York City, New York. 

Plays and Players — Walter Prichard Eaton. Publisher, 
Stewart and Kidd Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Studies in Stage Craft — Clayton Hamilton. Publisher, Henry 
Holt and Company, New York City, New York. 

Ten Thousand Words Often Mispronounced — William H. 
Phyfe. Publisher, Putnam Sons, New York City, New 
York. 

[192] 



APPENDIX 

Theaters and Picture Houses — Arthur S. Meloy. Publisher, 

Architects Supply and Publishing Company, New York 

City, New York. 
Theater Through Its Stage Door — David Belasco. Publisher, 

Harper and Brothers, New York City, New York. 
Training for the Stage — Arthur Hornblow. Publisher, J. B. 

Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

COUNTRY LIFE 

Adult Recreation as a Social Problem — Edward Alsworth 
Ross. Source, The American Journal of Sociology, Jan- 
uary, Nineteen Eighteen. Publisher, The University of 
Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 

American Country Girl, The — Martha Foote Crow. Pub- 
lisher, Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York City, 
New York. 

Chapters in Rural Progress — Kenyon L. Butterfield. Pub- 
lisher, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 
Illinois. 

Constructive Rural Sociology — John M. Gillette. Pub- 
lisher, Sturgis and Walton Company, New York City, 
New York. 

Country Life Movement in the United States, The — L. H. 
Bailey. Publisher, The Macmillan Company, New York 
City, New York. 

Country Town, The — Wilbert L. Anderson. Publisher, The 
Baker and Taylor Company, New York City, New York. 

Educational Needs of Farm Women — United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, Report No. 105. Publisher, Gov- 
ernment Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 

Fairvieiv Idea, The — Herbert Quick. Publisher, The Bobbs- 
Merrill Company, Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Farm Boys and Girls — William A. McKeever. Publisher, 
The Macmillan Company, New York City, New York. 
[193] 



A P PE NDIX 

Farmer and the New Day, The — Kenyon L. Butterfield. Pub- 
lisher, The Macmillan Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Holy Earth, The— I,. H. Bailey. Publisher, Charles Scrib- 
ner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

Introduction to Rural Sociology — Paul Vogt. Publisher, D. 
Appleton and Company, New York City, New York. 

Little Town, The — Harlan Paul Douglas. Publisher, The 
Macmillan Company, New York City, New York. 

Our European Neighbors — Twelve volumes edited by Wil- 
liam Harbutt Dawson. Publisher, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 
New York City, New York. 

Outlines of Economics — Richard T. Ely. Publisher, The 
Macmillan Company, New York City, New York. 

Plans of Rural Community Buildings — W. C. Nason. Source, 
Farmers Bulletin 1173. Publisher, United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

Proceedings — First, Second, and Third National Country 
Life Conferences. Publisher, National Country Life As- 
sociation, Amherst, Massachusetts, c/o Kenyon L. But- 
terfield. 

Psychic Causes of Rural Migration — Ernest R. Groves. 
Source, The American Journal of Sociology, March, 
Nineteen Sixteen. Publisher, The University of Chicago, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Rural Improvement — Frank Waugh. Publisher, Orange, t 
Judd Company, New York City, New York. 

Rural Life Problem of the United States, The — Sir Horace 
Plunkett. Publisher, The Macmillan Company, New 
York City, New York. 

Rural Planning and Colonization — Ben Faast. Publisher, 
Wisconsin Colonization Company, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. 

Rural Versus Urban — John W. Bookwalter. Publisher, The 
Knickerbocker Press, New York City, New York. 
[194] 



AP PENDIX 

Six Thousand Country Churches — Charles Otis Gill and Gif- 
ford Pinchot. Publisher, The Macmillan Company, New 
York City, New York. 

Social Anatomy of a Rural Community, The — Charles J. Gal- 
pin. Source, Wisconsin Research Bulletin, Number 34. 
Publisher, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. 

State and the Farmer, The—L. H. Bailey. Publisher, The 
Macmillan Company, New York City, New York. 

Three Acres and Liberty — Bolton Hall. Publisher, The Mac- 
millan Company, New York City, New York. 

Village, The — Ernest Poole. Publisher, The Macmillan Com- 
pany, New York City, New York. 

SUGGESTED LIST OF PLAYS— ONE ACT 

Afternoon Rehearsal, An — Lizzie M. Knapp. Characters, 

Six Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, 

Massachusetts. 
American Beauties — A. Seaman. Characters, Six Female. 

Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 
Aunt Minerva — Catherine Tudor. Characters, Five Female. 

Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, New York. 
Bank Account, The — Howard Brock. Characters, One Male, 

Two Female. Publisher, Brentano, New York City, New 

York. 
Barbara — Jerome K. Jerome. Characters, Two Male, Two 

Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 

New York. 
Belles of Canterbury, The — Characters, Eleven Female. Pub- 
lisher, Samuel French, New York City, New York. 
Between the Soup and the Savory — Gertrude Jennings. 

Characters, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 

New York City, New York, 
Bishop's Candlesticks — Norman McKinnel. Characters, 

Three Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 

New York City, New York. 

£195] 



APPENDIX 

Bracelet, The — Alfred Sutro. Characters, Four Male, Four 
Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 
New York. 

Brown Paper parcel, A — M. J. W. Characters, Two Female. 
Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Business Meeting, A — Arlo Bates. Characters, Ten Female. 
Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Christening Robe, The — Anne L. Estebrook. Characters, 
Twelve Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, 
Massachusetts. 

Christmas Chime, A — Margaret Cameron. Characters, Two 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

Christmas Tale, A — Maurice Boucher. Characters, Two 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

Clod, The — Lewis Beach. Characters, Four Male, One Fe- 
male. Publisher, Doubleday, Page and Company, New 
York City, New York. 

Cooks and Cardinals — Norman C. Lindon. Characters, Four 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, Harvard Plays, 47 Work- 
shop, Brentano's, New York City, New York. 

'Courtship of Miles Standish — Eugene W. Presbrey. Char- 
acters, Two Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Cut Off with a Shilling— S. T. Smith. Characters, Two Male, 
One Female. Publisher, Dramatic Publishing Company, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Dancing Dolls — Kennethv Sawyer Goodman. Characters, 
Four Male, Seven Female. Publisher, The Stage Guild, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Day That Lincoln Died, The — Prescott Warren and Will 
Hutchins. Characters, Five Male, Two Female. Pub- 
lisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

[196] 



APPENDIX 

Deacon's Hat, The — Jeanette Marks. Characters, Three 
Male, Three Female. Publisher, Three Welsh Plays, 
Little, Brown and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Dear Departed, The — Stanley Houghton. Characters, Three 
Male, Three Female. Publisher, Five One Act Plays, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Dinner at Seven Sharp — Tudor Jenks. Characters, Five 
Male, Three Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts. 

Dress Rehearsal of Hamlet — Mary Macmillan. Characters, 
Ten Female. Publisher, Stewart and Kidd, Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

Embers — George Middleton. Characters, Two Male, Two 
Female. Publisher, Henry Holt and Company, New 
York City, New York. 

Far Away Princess, The — Herman Sudermann. Characters, 
Two Male, Seven Female. Publisher, Roses, Charles 
Scribner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

Fatal Message, The — John Kendrick Bangs. Characters, 
Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Harper and 
Brothers, New York City, New York. 

First Come, First Served — John Maddison Morton. Char- 
acters, Three Male, Three Female. Publisher, Dramatic 
Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Florist Shop, The — Winifred Hawkridge. Characters, Three 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, In Harvard Plays, 
Brentano's, New York City, New York. 

Futurists — Mary Macmillan. Characters, Eight Women. 
Publisher, Stewart and Kidd, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Gettysburg — Percy MacKaye. Characters, One Male, One 
Female. Publisher, Duffield and Company, New York 
City, New York. 

Ghost of Jerry Bundler, The — W. W. Jacobs and Charles 
Rock. Characters, Seven Male. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

[197 1 



APPENDIX 

Girls, The — Mabel H. Crane. Characters, Nine Female. 
Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Green Coat, The — Alfred De Musset and Emile Augier. 
Characters, Three Male, One Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Holly Tree Inn — O. Berringer. Characters, Four Male, 
Three Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York 
City, New York. 

Hour Glass, The—W. B. Yeats. Characters, Three Male, 
One Female. Publisher, Plays from the Irish Theater, 
Macmillan and Company, New York City, New York. 

How the Vote Was Won — Cicely Hamilton and Christopher 
St. John. Characters, Two Male, Eight Female. Pub- 
lisher, The Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, 
Illinois. 

Indian Summer — Meilhac and Halevy. Characters, Two 
Male r Two Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

In Hospital — Thomas H. Dickinson. Characters, Three 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, In Wisconsin Plays, B. 
W. Huebsch, New York City, New York. 

Intruder, The — Maurice Maeterlinck. Characters, Three 
Male, Five Female. Publisher, Dodd, Mead and Com- 
pany, New York City, New York. 

In the Wrong House — Martin Becher. Characters, Four 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

In the Zone — Eugene O'Neill. Characters, Nine Male. Pub- 
lisher, The Moon of the Caribbees, Boni and Liveright, 
New York City, New York. 

Joint Owners in Spain — Alice Brown. Characters, Four 
Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 
New York. 

[198] 



A P PE NDIX 

Kleptomaniac, The — Margaret Cameron. Characters, Seven 

Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 

New York. 
Lend Me Five Shillings — J. Maddison Morton. Characters, 

Five Male, Two Female. Publisher, Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 
Little Red Mare, The—O. E. Young. Characters, Three 

Male. Publisher, Dick and Fitzgerald, New York City, 

New York. 
Lonesomelike — Harold Brighouse. Characters, Two Male, 

Two Female. Publisher, Gowans and Gray, London, 

England. 
Lost Silk Hat, The — Lord Dunsany. Characters, Five Male. 

Publisher, Mitchell Kennerley, New York City, New 

York. 
Maker of Dreams, The — Oliphant Down. Characters, Two 

Male, One Female. Publisher, Gowans and Gray, 

London, England. 
Marriage Has Been Arranged, A — Alfred Sutro. Charac- 
ters, One Male, One Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 

New York City, New York. 
Marriage Proposal, A — Anton Tchekoff. Characters, Two 

Male, One Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 

York City, New York. 
Merry, Merry Cuckoo, The — Jeanette Marks. Characters, 

Four Male, One Female. Publisher, Little, Brown and 

Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 
Misdemeanor of Nancy, A — Eleanor Hoyt. Characters, 

Two Male, Three Female. Publisher, The Speaker, 

Volume Two, Hinds, Hayden and Eldredge, New York 

City, New York. 
Miss Civilization — Richard Harding Davis. Characters, 

Four Male, One Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 

New York City, New York. 

[199] 



APPENDIX 

Modesty — Paul Hervieu. Characters, Two Male, One 
Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 
New York. 

Mouse Trap — Burton Harrison. Characters, One Male, 
One Female. Publisher, Dramatic Publishing Company, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Mouse Trap, The — William Dean Howells. Characters, One 
Male, Six Female. Publisher, Houghton, Mifflin Com- 
pany, New York City, New York. 

Mrs. Oakley's Telephone — Eudora M. Jennings. Characters, 
Four Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York 
City, New York. 

Mrs. Patt and the Law — Mary Aldis. Characters, Three 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, Plays for Small Stages, 
Duffield and Company, New York City, New York. 

Nance Oldfield — C. Reade. Characters, Three Male, Two 
Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massa- 
chusetts. 

Neighbors — Zona Gale. Characters, Two Male, Six Female. 
Publisher, Wisconsin Plays, B. W. Huebsch, New York 
City, New York. 

Newly Married Couple, A — Bjornstjerne Bjornson. Charac- 
ters, Three Male, Four Female. Publisher, E. P. Dutton 
and Company, New York City, New York. 

Noble Lord, The — Percival Wilde. Characters, Two Male, 
One Female. Publisher, Henry Holt and Company, 
New York City, New York. 

Obstinancy — R. Benedix. Characters, Three Male, Three 
Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publishing Company, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Old Peabody Pew, The — Kate Douglas Wiggin. Characters, 
One Male, Eight Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 
New York City, New York. 

Op'-O-Me-Thumb — Frederic Fenn and Richard Pryce. Char- 
[200 1 



APPENDIX 

acters, Five Female, One Male. Publisher, Samuel 

French, New York City, New York. 
Orange Blossoms — J. P. Wooler. Characters, Three Male, 

Three Female. Publisher, Dramatic Publishing Com- 
pany, Chicago, Illinois. 
Our Aunt from California — M. D. Barnum. Characters, Six 

Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 

New York. 
Overtones — Alice Gerstenberg. Characters, Four Female. 

Publisher, Washington Square Plays, Doubleday, Page 

and Company, New York City, New York. 
Pair of Lunatics, A — W. R. Walkes. Characters, One Male, 

One Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 

New York. 
Pantaloon — J. M. Barrie. Characters, Four Male, One 

Female. Publisher, Half Hours, Charles Scribner's 

Sons, New York City, New York. 
Pipers Pay, The — Margaret Cameron. Characters, Seven 

Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 

New York. 
Playing with Fire — Percival Wilde. Characters, One Male, 

Two Female. Publisher, Dawn and Other One Act 

Plays, Henry Holt and Company, New York City, New 

York. 
Pot of Broth, A—W. B. Yeats. Characters, Two Male, One 

Female. Publisher, In the Hour Glass and Other Plays, 

Macmillan Company, New York City, New York. 
Prairie Wolf, The — John Lange. Characters, Five Male, 

Three Female. Publisher, The Little Country Theater, 

North Dakota Agricultural College, Fargo, North 

Dakota. 
Press Cuttings — Bernard Shaw. Characters, Four Male, 

Four Female. Publisher, Press Cuttings, Brentano's, 

New York City, New York. 

[201] 



APPENDIX 

Princess Faraway, The — Edmond Rostand. Characters, One 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, Hinds, Noble and Eld- 
redge, New York City, New York. 

Proposal under Difficulties, A — John Kendrick Bangs. Char- 
acters, Three Male, Two Female. Publisher, Harper 
and Brothers, New York City, New York. 

Real Thing, The — John Kendrick Bangs. Characters, Two 
Male, Five Female. Publisher, Harper and Brothers, 
New York City, New York. 

Riders to the Sea — J. M. Synge. Characters, One Male, 
Three Female. Publisher, John W. Luce, Boston, 
Massachusetts. 

Rising of the Moon, The — Lady Gregory. Characters, Four 
Male. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, New 
York. 

Sam Average — Percy Mackaye. Characters, Three Male, 
One Female. Publisher, Duffield and Company, New 
York .City, New York. 

Side Show, The — John Kendrick Bangs. Characters, Six 
Male, Four Female. Publisher, Harper and Brothers, 
New York City, New York. 

Silent System, The — A. Dreyfus. Characters, One Male, 
One Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, 
Massachusetts. 

Six Who Pass While the Lentils Boil— Stuart Walker. Char- 
acters, Seven Male, Two Female. Publisher, Little, 
Brown and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Spreading the News — Lady Gregory. Characters, Seven 
Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

Sunbonnets — Marian D. Campbell. Characters, Eleven Fe- 
male. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massa- 
chusetts. 

[202] 



APPENDIX 

Sunset — Jerome K. Jerome. Characters, Three Male, Three 

Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publishing Company, 

Chicago, Illinois. 
Suppressed Desires — George Cram Cook and Susan Glaspell. 

Characters, One Male, Two Female. Publisher, Plays 

by Susan Glaspell, Small, Maynard and Company, 

Boston, Massachusetts. 
Sivan Song, The — Anton Tchekoff. Characters, Two Male. 

Publisher, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York City, New 

York. 
Teeth of the Gift Horse, The — Margaret Cameron. Char- 
acters, Two Male, Four Female. Publisher, Samuel 

French, New York City, New York. 
Three Pills in a Bottle — Rachel L. Field. Characters, Five 

Male, Three Female. Publisher, Plays 47 Workshop, 

Brentano's, New York City, New York. 
Tickets, Please — Irving Dale. Characters, Four Female. 

Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 
Tradition — George Middleton. Characters, One Male, Two 

Female. Publisher, Henry Holt and Company, New 

York City, New York. 
Traveling Man, The — Lady Gregory. Characters, One 

Male, One Female, One Child. Publisher, Samuel 

French, New York City, New York. 
Trifles — Susan Glaspell. Characters, Three Male, Two 

Female. Publisher, Frank Shay, New York City, New 

York. 

Washington's First Defeat — Charles Nirdlinger. Charac- 
ters, One Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Waterloo — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Characters, Three 
Male, One Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

[203 ] 



AP PE NDIX 

Which Is Which — H. Theyre Smith. Characters, Three 
Male, Three Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Pub- 
lishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Wire Entanglement, A — Robert Mantell. Characters, Two 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Workhouse Ward, The — Lady Gregory. Characters, Two 
Male, One Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

Zone Police, The — Richard Harding Davis. Characters, 
Four Male. Publisher, Charles Scribner and Sons, New 
York City, New York. 

SUGGESTED LIST OF PLAYS— MORE THAN 
ONE ACT 

Abraham Lincoln — John Drinkwater. Characters, Thirty- 
three Male, Eight Female. Publisher, Houghton, Mifflin 
Company, New York City, New York. 

Admirable Crichton, The — J. M. Barrie. Four Acts. Char- 
acters, Seven Male, Seven Female. Publisher, Charles 
Scribner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

Adventure of Lady Ursula, The — Anthony Hope. Four Acts. 
Characters, Twelve Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Alabama — Augustus Thomas. Four Acts. Characters, Eight 
Male, Four Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Alice-Sit-By-T he-Fire—]. M. Barrie. Three Acts. Charac- 
ters, Four Male, Five Female. Publisher, Charles Scrib- 
ner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

All-Of-A-Sudden-Peggy— Ernest Denny. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Five Male, Five Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Amazons, The — Arthur Pinero. Three Acts. Characters, 
Seven Male, Five Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, 
Boston, Massachusetts. 

[204] 



APPENDIX 

Anti-Matrimony — Percy Mackaye. Four Acts. Characters, 
Two Male, Three Female. Publisher, Doubleday, Page 
and Company, New York City, New York. 

Arrival of Kitty, The — Norman Lee Swartout. Three Acts. 
Characters, Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Walter 
H. Baker and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Arrow Maker's Daughter, The — Grace E. Smith and Ger- 
trude Nevils. Two Acts. Characters, Six Male, Seven 
Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 
New York. 

Arrow Maker, The — Mary Austin. Characters, Eight Male, 
Nine Female. Publisher, Duffield and Company, New 
York City, New York. 

As You Like It — William Shakespeare. Five Acts. Charac- 
ters, Sixteen Male, Four Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Bachelors' Romance, A — Martha Morton. Four Acts. Char- 
acters, Seven Male, Four Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Back to the Farm — Merline H. Shumway. Three Acts. 
Characters, Six Male, Four Female. Publisher, Uni- 
versity of Minnesota, Agricultural Extension Division, 
Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Barbara Frietchie — Clyde Fitch. Four Acts. Characters, 
Thirteen Male, Six Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 
New York City, New York. 

Bee in a Drone's Hive, A — Cecil Baker. Two Acts. Char- 
acters, Nine Male, Five Female. Publisher, The Little 
Country Theater, North Dakota Agricultural College, 
Fargo, North Dakota. 

Beyond the Horizon — Eugene O'Neill. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Six Male, Four Female. Publisher, Boni and 
Liveright, New York City, New York. 

Bob, Mr.— Rachel E. Baker. Two Acts. Characters, Three 

[205] 



AP PE NDIX 

Male, Four Female. Publisher, Eldridge Entertainment 
House, Franklin, Ohio. 

Breezy Point — B. M. Locke. Three Acts. Characters, 
Thirteen Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker and 
Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Brown Mouse, The — Mabel B. Stevenson, adapted from the 
Novel by Herbert Quick. Four Acts. Characters, Ten 
Male, Five Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

Cabinet Minister, The — A. W. Pinero. Four Acts. Charac- 
ters, Ten Male, Nine Female. Publisher, Walter H. 
Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Captain Rackett — Charles Townsend. Three Acts. Charac- 
ters, Five Male, Three Female. Publisher, The Dramatic 
Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Chinese, Lantern, The — Lawrence Housman. Three Acts. 
Characters, Six Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Clarence — Booth Tarkington. Four Acts. Characters, Five 
Male, Five Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 
York City, New York. 

Christopher Columbus — Alice Johnstone Walker. Four Acts. 
Characters, Eighteen Male, Two Female. Publisher, 
Henry Holt and Company, New York City, New York. 

College Widow, The — George Ade. Four Acts. Characters, 
Fifteen Male, Ten Female. Publisher, Sanger and 
Jordan, New York City, New York. 

County Chairman, The — George Ade. Four Acts. Charac- 
ters, Sixteen Male, Six Female. Publisher, Sanger and 
Jordan, New York City, New York. 

Cousin Kate — H. H. Davies. Three Acts. Characters, 
Three Male, Four Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker 
and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Country-Side, The — Harry Hagerott. Three Acts. Charac- 
ters, Eight Male, Three Female. Publisher, The Little 

[206] 



A P PENDIX 

Country Theater, North Dakota Agricultural College, 
Fargo, North Dakota. 

Cricket on the Hearth — Charles Dickens. Three Acts. 
Characters, Seven Male, Eight Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Cupid at Vassar — Owen Davis. Four Acts. Characters, 
Twelve Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publishing 
Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

David Garrick — T. W. Robertson. Three Acts. Characters, 
Eight Male, Three Female. Publisher, The Dramatic 
Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

David Harum — Eugene Noyes Westcott. Three Acts. 
Characters, Eight Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Charles Frohman Company, New York City, New York. 

Doll's House, The — H. Ibsen. Three Acts. Characters, 
Three Male, Four Female. Publisher, Walter H. 
Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Engaged — W. S. Gilbert. Three Acts. Characters, Five 
Male, Three Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Pub- 
lishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Esmeralda — Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett and William 
Gillette. Three Acts. Characters, Ten Male, Five 
Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 
New York. 

Every Ship Will Find a Harbor— Albert C. Heine. Three 
Acts. Characters, Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, 
The Little Country Theater, North Dakota Agricultural 
College, Fargo, North Dakota. 

Farmerette, The — Evelyn Gray Whiting. Three Acts. 
Characters, Seven Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, 
Boston, Massachusetts. 

Fortune Hunter, The — Winchell Smith. Four Acts. Charac- 
ters, Seventeen Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Girl With the Green Eyes, The— Clyde Fitch. Four Acts. 
[207] 



AP PENDIX 

Characters, Ten Male, Seven Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Great Divide, The — William Vaughn Moody. Three Acts. 
Characters, Eleven Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Sanger and Jordan, New York City, New York. 

Green Stockings — A. E. W. Mason. Three Acts. Charac- 
ters, Seven Male, Five Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Hadda Padda — Godmundur Kamban. Four Acts. Charac- 
ters, Nine Male, Seven Female. Publisher, Alfred 
Knopf, New York City, New York. 

Hazel Kirke — Steele Mackaye. Four Acts. Characters, 
Nine Male, Five Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 
New York City, New York. 

Her Husband's Wife— A. E. Thomas. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Three Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Hick'ry Farm — Edwin M. Stern. Two Acts. Characters, 
Six Male, Two Female. Publisher, The Dramatic 
Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Hour Glass, The — William Butler Yeates. Characters, Four 
Male, Two Female, Two Children. Publisher, The 
Macmillan Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

House Next Door, The — J. H. Manners. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Eight Male, Four Female. Publisher, Walter H. 
Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry — Leroy Arnold. Three Acts. Charac- 
ters, Six Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Importance of Being Earnest, The — Oscar Wilde. Three 
Acts. Characters, Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

It Pays to Advertise — Roi Cooper Megrue and Walter 
Hackett. Three Acts. Characters, Eight Male, Four 
[208] 



APPENDIX 

Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, 
New York. 

Kindling — Charles Kenyon. Three Acts. Characters, Six 
Male, Four Female. Publisher, Doubleday, Page and 
Company, New York City, New York. 

Lady of the Weeping Willow Tree, The — Stuart Walker. 
Three Acts. Characters, Six. Publisher, Stewart and 
Kidd Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Lady Windermere's Fan — Oscar Wilde. Four Acts. Char- 
acters, Seven Male, Eight Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Leonarda — Bjornstjerne Bjornson. Four Acts. Characters, 
Six Male, Six Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Pub- 
lishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Little Minister, The — J. M. Barrie. Four Acts. Characters, 
Eleven Male, Five Female. Publisher, Charles Scrib- 
ner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

Little Women — Marian De Forest, adapted from Story by 
Louisa M. Alcott. Four Acts. Characters, Five Male, 
Seven Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New York 
City, New York. 

Lion and the Mouse, The — Charles Klein. Four Acts. 
Characters, Ten Male, Eight Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Lonelyville Social Club—W. C. Parker. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Ten Female. Publisher, Eldridge Entertainment 
House, Franklin, Ohio 

Man from Home, The — Booth Tarkington. Four Acts. 
Characters, Ten Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Sanger and Jordan, New York City, New York. 

Man of the Hour — George Broadhurst. Four Acts. Char- 
acters, Thirteen Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Man Without a Country, The — Elizabeth McFadden and A. 
Crimmins. Three Acts. Characters, Twenty-three 

[209] 



AP PE NDIX 

Male, Two Female. Publisher, Samuel French, New 

York City, New York. 
Melting Pot, The — Israel Zangwill. Four Acts. Characters, 

Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Sanger and Jordan, 

New York City, New York. 
Mice and Men — Madeline Lucette Ryley. Four Acts. 

Characters, Six Male, Six Female. Publisher, Samuel 

French, New York City, New York. 
Milestones — A. Bennett and E. Knoblauch. Three Acts. 

Characters, Nine Male, Six Female. Publisher, George 

H. Doran, New York City, New York. 
Miss Hobbs — Jerome K. Jerome. Four Acts. Characters, 

Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 

New York City, New York. 
Miss Lulu Bett — Zona Gale. Three Acts. Eight Characters. 

Publisher, Zona Gale, Portage, Wisconsin. 
Mrs. Bump stead-Leigh — Harry James Smith. Three Acts. 

Characters, Six Male, Six Female. Publisher, Samuel 

French, New York City, New York. 
Mrs. Temple's Telegram — Frank Wyatt and William Morris. 

Three Acts. Characters, Five Male, Four Female. 

Publisher, Samuel French, New York City, New York. 
Much Ado About Nothing — William Shakespeare. Two 

Acts. Characters, Eight Male, Three Female. Publisher, 

Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 
Nathan Hale — Clyde Fitch. Four Acts. Characters, Twelve 

Male, Four Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts. 
New Country Woman, The — Lillian Rolle. Four Acts. 

Characters, Six Male, Four Female. Publisher, The 

Little Country Theater, North Dakota Agricultural Col- 
lege, Fargo, North Dakota. 
New York Idea, The — Langdon Mitchell. Four Acts. 

Characters, Nine Male, Six Female. Publisher, Walter 

Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

[210] 



APPENDIX 

Nothing but the Truth — James Montgomery. Three Acts. 
Characters, Five Male, Six Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Officer 666 — Augustin MacHugh. Three Acts. Characters, 
Eight Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 
New York City, New York. 

Our Boys — Henry J. Bryon. Three Acts. Characters, Six 
Male, Four Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Pair of Spectacles, A — Sydney Grundy. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Seven Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Peg O' My Heart — J. Hartley Manners. Three Acts. 
Characters, Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Pillars of Society, The — H. Ibsen. Four Acts. Characters, 
Ten Male, Nine Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, 
Boston, Massachusetts. 

Pomander Walk — Louis N. Parker. Three Acts. Characters, 
Ten Male, Eight Female. Publisher, Samuel French, 
New York City, New York. 

Private Secretary, The — Charles Hawtrey. Three Acts. 
Characters, Nine Male, Four Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Professor's Love Story, The — J. M. Barrie. Three Acts. 
Characters, Seven Male, Five Female. Publisher, Chi- 
cago Manuscript Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Prunella — Lawrence Housman and Granville Barker. Three 
Acts. Characters, Eleven Male, One Female. Publisher, 
Little, Brown and Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Pygmalion and Galatea — W. S. Gilbert. Three Acts. 
Characters, Four Male, Four Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Quality Street — J. M. Barrie. Four Acts. Characters, Seven 

[211] 



APPENDIX 

Male, Six Female. Publisher, Sanger and Jordan, New 
York City, New York. 

Raindrops, The — M. Thorfinnson and Eggert V. Briem. 
Four Acts. Characters, Five Male, Three Female. 
Publisher, The Little Country Theater, North Dakota 
Agricultural College, Fargo, North Dakota. 

Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary, The — Anne Warner. Three 
Acts. Characters, Seven Male, Six Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

Rip Van Winkle — Charles Burke. Two Acts. Characters, 
Eleven Male, Three Female, One Child. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Rivals, The — R. B. Sheridan. Five Acts. Characters, Eight 
Male, Four Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Romancers, The — Edmond Rostand. Three Acts. Charac- 
ters, Five Male, One Female. Publisher Walter H. 
Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Rose O' Plymouth Town — Beulah Marie Dix and Evelyn 
G. Sutherland. Four Acts. Characters, Four Male, 
Four Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publishing 
Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Russian Honeymoon, A — Eugene Scribe. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Four Male, Three Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Sanctuary — A Bird Masque — Percy Mackaye. Characters, 
Four Male, Twenty-two Female. Publisher, Frederick 
A. Stokes, New York City, New York. 

School for Scandal — Richard B. Sheridan. Five Acts. 
Characters, Thirteen Male, Four Female. Publisher, 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Scrap of Paper, A — J. Palgrave Simpson. Three Acts. 
Characters, Six Male, Six Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Servant in the House, The — Charles Rann Kennedy. Five 

[212] 



APPENDIX 

Acts. Characters, Five Male, Two Female. Publisher, 
Harper and Brothers, New York City, New York. 

She Stoops to Conquer — Oliver Goldsmith. Five Acts. 
Characters, Sixteen Male, Four Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Silas, the Chore Boy — Frank Bernard. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Six Male, Three Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Sitting Bull — Custer — Aaron McGaffey Beede. Characters, 
Nine Male, Four Female. Publisher, Bismarck Tribune, 
Bismarck, North Dakota. 

Shore Acres — James Heme. Four Acts. Characters, Ten 
Male, Eight Female. Publisher, Charles Frohman 
Company, New York City, New York. 

Sweethearts — W. S. Gilbert. Two Acts. Characters, Two 
Male, Two Female. Publisher, The Dramatic Publish- 
ing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Taming of the Shrew — William Shakespeare. Three Acts. 
Characters, Fifteen Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Walter H. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Tempest, The — William Shakespeare. Five Acts. Charac- 
ters, Five Male, Seven Female. Publisher, The Dramatic 
Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Three Hats, The — A. Shirley. Three Acts. Characters, 
Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Walter H. Baker, 
Boston, Massachusetts. 

Thousand Years Ago, A — Percy Mackaye. Four Acts. 
Characters, Nine Male, Two Female. Publisher, 
Doubleday, Page Company, New York City, New York. 

Toastmaster — Norman Lee Swartout. Three Acts. Char- 
acters, Eight Male, Two Female. Publisher, The 
Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Trelaivney of the Wells — Arthur W. Pinero. Four Acts. 
Characters, Ten Male, Eight Female. Publisher, The 

[213 ] 



APPENDIX 

Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare. Five Acts. Charac- 
ters, Ten Male, Three Female. Publisher, Walter H. 
Baker, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Valley Farm — A. L. Tubbs. Four Acts. Characters, Six 
Male, Six Female. Publisher, T. S. Denison and Com- 
pany, Chicago, Illinois. 

Washington, the Man Who Made Us — Percy Mackaye. 
Three Acts. Characters, Sixty-six Male, Ten Female. 
Publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, New York City, New York. 

What Every Woman Knows — J. M. Barrie. Four Acts. 
Characters, Five Male, Four Female. Publisher, Charles 
Scribner's Sons, New York City, New York. 

What Happened to Jones — George Broadhurst. Three Acts. 
Characters, Seven Male, Six Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Witching Hour, The — Augustus Thomas. Three Acts. 
Characters, Twelve Male, Three Female. Publisher, 
Samuel French, New York City, New York. 

You Never Can Tell — Bernard Shaw. Four Acts. Charac- 
ters, Six Male, Four Female. Publisher, Brentano's, 
New York City, New York. 

When We Were Twenty-One — H. V. Esmond. Four Acts. 
Characters, Nine Male, Five Female. Publisher, Samuel 
French, New York City, New York. 

Why Smith Left Home — George Broadhurst. Three Acts. 
Characters, Five Male, Seven Female. Publisher, Sam- 
uel French, New York City, New York. 

PRESENTATION OF PLAY? 

COSTUMES 

Bankside Costume Book for Children — Melicent Stone. 

Publisher, Saalfield Publishing Company, New York 

City, New York. 

Costumes and Scenery for Amateurs — Constance Mackay. 

[214] 



APPENDIX 

Publisher, Henry Holt and Company, New York City, 

New York. 
Costumes for Bazaars and Masquerades. Publisher, The 

Ladies' Home Journal, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
Costumes in England — F. W. Fairholt. Publisher, Mac- 

millan Company, New York City, New York. 
Dennison's Costume Book. Publisher, Dennison Manufac- 
turing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 
Flower Children — Elizabeth Gordon. Publisher, P. F. Vol- 

land Company, New York City, New York. 
Historic Dress in America — Elizabeth McClellan. Publisher, 

G. W. Jacobs and Company, New York City, New York. 
History of British Costume — J. R. Planche, Publisher, G. 

Bell and Sons, Ltd., London, England. 
Meadoivgold. Publisher, Extension Division, University of 

Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. 
Mother Earth's Children — Elizabeth Gordon. Publisher, P. 

F. Volland and Company, Chicago, Illinois. 
Practical Hints on Stage Costumes — Cyril Bowen. Publisher, 

Samuel French, New York City, New York. 
Two Centuries of Costume in America — Alice Morse Earle. 

Publisher, Macmillan and Company, New York City, 

New York. 

MAKE-UP 
Art of Theatrical Make-Up, The— Cavendish Morton. Pub- 
lisher, Adams and Charles Black, London, England. 
Brief Make-Up Guide — Eben H. Norris. Publisher, T. S. 

Denison, Chicago, Illinois. 
Hageman's Make Up Book — Maurice Hageman. Publisher, 

The Dramatic Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois. 
Making Up — James Young. Publisher, M. Witmark and 

Sons, New York City, New York. 

PRODUCTION 

American Pageantry — Ralph Davol. Publisher, Davol Pub- 

[21S] 



A P PENDIX 

lishing Company, Taunton, Massachusetts. 

Community Drama and Pageantry — Mary Porter Beegle and 
Jack Randall Crawford. Publisher, Yale University 
Press, New Haven, Connecticut. 

Festivals and Plays — Percival Chubb and Associates. Pub- 
lisher, Harper and Brothers, New York City, New York. 

How to Produce Amateur Plays — Barrett H. Clark. Pub- 
lisher, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, Massa- 
chusetts. 

How to Produce Children's Plays — Constance D'Arcy 
Mackay. Publisher, Henry Holt and Company, New 
York City, New York. 

How to Stage a Play — Harry Osborne. Publisher, T. S. 
Denison and Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Modern Theater Construction — Edward Bernard Kinsila. 
Publisher, Chalmers Publishing Company, New York 
City, New York. 

Open Air Theater, The— Sheldon Cheney. Publisher, Mitchell 
Kennerley, New York City, New York. 

Play Production in America — Arthur Edwin Krows. Pub- 
lisher, Henry Holt and Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Practical Stage Directing for Amateurs — Emerson Taylor. 
Publisher, E. P. Dutton and Company, New York City, 
New York. 

Producing Amateur Entertainments — Helen Ferris. Pub- 
lisher, E. P. Dutton and Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Shakespeare for Community Players — Roy Mitchell. Pub- 
lisher, E. P. Dutton and Company, New York City, New 
York. 

SCENIC EFFECTS— STAGE DEVICES—LIGHTING 

Costumes and Scenery for Amateurs — Constance Mackay. 

[216] 



AP PENDIX 

Publisher, Henry Holt and Company, New York City, 

New York. 
Electric Stage Lighting Apparatus and Effects — Kliegel 

Brothers. Publisher, Kliegel Brothers, New York City, 

New York. 
Secrets of Scene Painting and Stage Effects — Van Dyke 

Browne. Publisher, E. P. Dutton and Company, New 

York City, New York. 
Theatrical Stage Rigging — J. R. Clancy. Publisher, J. R. 

Clancy, Syracuse, New York. 

PROMOTION OF PLAYS 
NEWSPAPERS 

Country Weekly, The— Phil C. Bing. Publisher, D. Apple- 
ton and Company, New York City, New York. 

Editorial, The — Leon Nelson Flint. Publisher, D. Appleton 
and Company, New York City, New York. 

Essentials in Journalism — H. F. Harrington and T. T. 
Frankenberg. Publisher, Ginn and Company, New 
York City, New York. 

How to Write Special Feature Articles — Willard G. Bleyer. 
Publisher, Houghton, Mifflin Company, New York City, 
New York. 

Making Type Work — Benjamin Sherbow. Publisher, The 
Century Company, New York City, New York. 

Newspaper Reporting and Correspondence — Grant M. Hyde. 
Publisher, D. Appleton and Company, New York City, 
New York. 

Newspaper Writing and Editing — Willard G. Bleyer. Pub- 
lisher, Houghton, Mifflin Company, New York City, New 
York. 

Principles of Advertising, The — Tipper, Hollingworth, 
Hotchkiss, Parsons. Publisher, The Ronald Press Com- 
pany, New York City, New York. 

Types of News Writing — Willard G. Bleyer. Publisher, 

[217 1 



APPENDIX 

Houghton, Mifflin Company, New York City, New York. 
Typical Newspaper Stories — H. F. Harrington. Publisher, 
Ginn and Company, New York City, New York. 

POSTERS 

Art of Sign Painting, The — Frank Atkinson. Publisher, 
Frederick J. Drake and Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

"A Show At' Shocards—Y. H. Atkinson and G. W. Atkin- 
son. Publisher, Frederick J. Drake and Company, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Letters and Lettering — Frank Chouteau Brown. Publisher, 
Bates and Guild Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 

Modern Painters' Cyclopedia, The — F. Maire. Publisher, 
Frederick J. Drake and Company, Chicago, Illinois. 

Poster, The — Publisher, Poster Advertising Association, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Practical Publicity — Truman A. De Weese. Publisher, 
George W. Jacobs and Company, Philadelphia, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Signists' Modern Book of Alphabets, The — F. Delamotte. 
Publisher, Frederick J. Drake and Company, Chicago, 
Illinois, 



[218] 



APPENDIX B 
GLOSSARY OF STAGE TERMS 

Arch — Doorway or archway in section of scenery. 

Act — Division of play. 

At Rise — Beginning of play or act. 

Back Stage — Portion back of visible stage. 

Back Drop — Large curtain hanging at rear of stage showing 
a landscape, garden or woods. 

Borders — Section of different colored cloths or scenery hang- 
ing at intervals from above. Usually represents sky, 
ceiling or branches of trees. 

Border Lights — Rows of lights in tin troughs suspended from 
ceiling used to illuminate stage. 

Brace — Support, usually slender pole to keep scenery in 
place. 

Bunch Lights — Groups of lights on movable standards. 

Business Manager — Person who looks after finances of pro- 
duction, promotes advertising campaign, sells and takes 
tickets, etc. 

Comedy — A play light and amusing, having a happy ending. 

Costume — A character dress of a particular period or locality 
worn in a play. 

Cue — Last words of a speech indicating time for next actor 
to begin. 

Cross — To move from one side of the stage to the other side. 

Dimmer — Electrical device to regulate quantity of light on 
stage. 

Drops — Curtains or pieces of scenery extending height and 
whole width of stage. 

Down — Down stage means direction of audience. 

Discovered — In person on stage at beginning of play or act. 

Drama — A composition intended to portray life or character 
to be performed on stage. 

Farce — A light, somewhat ridiculous play usually short. 

[219] 



APPENDIX 

Festival — A periodical season of entertainment embracing 

pageantry, drama, music and dancing. 
Footlights — Illumination on front of stage floor. 
Front — Part of stage nearest audience. 
Lash Line — Rope used to hold sections of scenery together. 
Left — Actor's left on stage when facing audience. 
Music Plot — Brief statement of incidental music in play. 
Off — Away from visible stage. 
On — On stage. 
Pantomime — A dramatic performance where words are not 

used — a dumb show. 
Pageant — An outdoor spectacle or play of large proportions. 
Pastoral Play — A drama describing rural life. 
Prompter — One who reminds actor of parts forgotten. 
Property Man — One who looks after properties in play. 
Puppet Show — A small image in human form play. 
Properties — Articles used in play. 
Proscenium — Arch framing the stage where front curtain 

hangs. 
Run — Portion of stage leading to visible part. 
Set Piece — A structure built on stage like tree, wall or 

cottage. 
Set — Scenery for certain act in play. 
Scene — Subdivision of play or act in play. 
Stage-Manager — One who looks after arrangement of stage 

scenery for a play. 
Spotlight — Light aimed at certain section of stage. 
Tableau — Representation of some scene by grouping of 

people. 
Tormentors — Passages near proscenium opening. 
Trap — Hole in stage floor. 
Tragedy — A dramatic composition having an unhappy 

ending. 
Up — Toward rear of stage. 

Upstage — Part of stage farthest away from audience. 
[220] 



APPENDIX C 
OPEN AIR THEATERS— STADIUMS 



Greek Theater, University of California, Berkeley, Cali- 
fornia, The Crescent — El Zagal Park, Fargo, North 
Dakota — The Harvard Stadium, Harvard University, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts. 



cM ^ki^X)oS S>oaood3 8c, 




"The Crescent," one of America's Largest 

Open Air Theaters, El Zagal Park, Fargo, 

North Dakota 



APPENDIX D 

RURAL COMMUNITY CENTER— TYPES OF 

COMMUNITY BUILDINGS 



Rural Community Center, Rusk Farm — Community House, 
Leeland, Texas — Village Hall, Wyoming, New York — Com- 
munity Building and Floor Plan — Auditorium, Hendrum, 
Minnesota. 



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pis,:- ! 

1 <^i 












pJUkLTlb'ARV J)TCSy 

Rajiv Farm 



f „r 



CP-S^,- 



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isi 



Pi 

KJ 



Courtesy of Ben Faast 
Rural Community Center Plan, Rusk Farm, Wisconsin 




ISTASE & 



AUDITORIUM 



DININS ROOM 



M 




REST ROOM 




Typical Community Building 

Drawn by Sander Anderson. 

Seating capacity four hundred 



APPENDIX E 



STAGE DESIGNS 




DRAW CURTAIN'— CAN BE USED 
ANYWHERE ; 



V 




DIAGRAM SHOWING SCENE FRAME 



